An Anthology of Magical Verse: Incantations, Curses, Witches a...

All poetry is magic. The rhythms and repetitions of poetry are akin to incantations. Poetry abounds in tales of enchantment; with its very words, rhythms and sound creating their own magic. Their very words forming spells. Witches, sirens and devils brood ominously on the lips of the poet, telling tales of wild witches sabbaths in lonely woods, offering charms of protection and tales of myth making and magic. Poetry is a language that allows us to re-enchant the world around us. This diverse collection of poems submerges us into ancient modes of knowledge, invoking the hidden and revealing the magical rites of nature. Earth and sky, moon and sun are charged with magic. An Anthology of Magical Verse explores the witchcraft of poetry, from the songs and incantations of early tribes and Anglo-Saxon verse through to Shakespeare, Robert Herrick, Ben Jonson, Emily Bronte, Kipling and many others. From the beautiful and treacherous like Keat’s ‘Belle Dame Sans Merci’ to Shelley’s enchanting and benevolent ‘Witch of Atlas’. Forbidding Hags like those of Robert Herrick cast their malevolent spells, as do the “charms of powerful trouble” brewed up by the Witches in Macbeth. Whether or not we believe in the effectiveness of ancient charms or spells, one cannot fail to be moved by the pure poetry of their language. Words have power, therein lies the true magic.

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