University of Virginia Library

'Return Druids To Halloween'

Halloween began before the
time that men had thought of
reasons why the writing down of
reasons why was meaningful, hence
we remain with little more than
knowing that it all began before the
Christ by twice a hundred years, at
least, in Gaul to Ireland with Celts
who learned from Druids wise of
the day that marked the time which
with the ending of the Celtic year,
and of the summer, signified the
marriage of the Gods to animals,
just as the sun falls through the
equinox and winter comes, hence
would the Gods interned in animals
roam foolishly upon the world as
man and man again.

But more this day than signifying
man's condition so the Druids
knew that on the Eve of Samhain
the dead return to visit kin for
warmth and cheer and evil spells
with evening fall are free til dark
to roam upon the land.

The signal of the celebration,
the light to show the dead to home,
and two to evil ward away, the
Druids told us bonfires build upon
the tops of quiet hills, thus The
Festival of the Dead we celebrate
this new years eve, with the spirits
of our dead amongst us, and with
nuts and fruits demanded in the
name of the God Muck Oila from
our neighbors.

And when all have drawn together
before the spire, smoke and
fire, feel the warmth of those who
knew we crowding round us in the
air, and in the sparks and resting
embers look for writings of the
dead, for written there are signs of
who will live and love and prosper
in the year ahead.

The night is holy, spirits whisper,
evil fills the air, and Hellions we
perform the ancient rights of bobbing
apples, pulling kale, throwing
shoes, or placing nuts into the fire
with hopes of seeing days to come
through eyes of those who traveled
West.

Degrade this holy day with peril.
Not for nothing it survived 3,000
years. Fear ye that by debasing and
commercializing yet another hallowed
day, for rites, that the wrath
of the Gods be upon you.

Recall the Roman Empires full
for heeding not the Druids of Gaul.

Listen slowly, to the words I
mean,

Return the Druids to Halloween.

Finnagain C. Zzyson

(partial resident of 300 Monticello Cl.)