I wish all my BLOG followers a Blessed Hallowtide (2020)

 

The Night Of Trafalgar by Thomas Hardy

In the wild October night-time, when the wind raved round the land,

And the Back-sea met the front-sea, and our doors were blocked with sand,

And we heard the drub of dead-man's bay, where the bones of thousands are,

We knew not what the day had done for us at Trafalgar.

Had done,

Had done,

For us at Trafalgar!

'Pull hard, and make the nothe, or down we go!' One says,

says he.

We pulled; and bedtime brought the storm; but snug at home slept we.

Yet all the while our gallants after fighting through the day,

Were beating up and down the dark, sou'west of Cadiz Bay.

The dark,

The dark,

Sou'west of Cadiz Bay!

The victors and the vanquished then the storm it tossed and tore,

As hard they strove, those worn-out men, upon that surly shore;

Dead Nelson and his half dead crew, his foes from near and far,

Were rolled together on the deep that night at Trafalgar!

The deep,

The deep,

That night at Trafalgar!

The Poppy - I am not a badge of honour by Paul Hunter (2014)

I am not a badge of honour,

I am not a racist smear,

I am not a fashion statement,

To be worn but once a year,

I am not glorification

Of conflict or of war.

I am not a paper ornament

A token,

I am more.

I am a loving memory,

Of a father or a son,

A permanent reminder

Of each and every one.

I’m paper or enamel

I’m old or shining new,

I’m a way of saying thank you,

To every one of you.

I am a simple poppy

A Reminder to you all,

That courage faith and honour,

Will stand where heroes fall.

PILLARS Vol.2, Issue.2 – ‘Seeds of Ares'

  I am at present feeling very positive and very proud. A few days ago in early October my contributor's copy of the latest Anathema publication arrived in the post. PILLARS Vol.2, Issue.2 – ‘Seeds of Ares' is a magnificent work. Crafted and bound as a work of beauty, it presents nearly twenty chapters on the more chaotic aspects of the occult, in an outstandingly professional manner. It is a standard we have come to expect from what is one of the more prestigious, esoteric publishers of the English speaking world.

  The original call for papers was over eighteen months ago and this in some way, serves to illustrate the effort involved in creating such a publication. Nearly two years of work has created a volume that will be highly sought and I believe, highly influential.

  This is the second time I have written for Anathema Publishing and my seventh esoteric anthology inclusion. My previous papers have been published by Lear Publishing and Temple of the Dark Moon. My preceding contribution to Anathema was published in PILLARS IV – (Vol.2, Issue.1) – ‘Circling the Compass’ in 2019.

  When writing then, I was acutely aware that I was the amateur surrounded by a garden of professionals. I was however, pleased to see on publication that many of the contributors were known to me. In the latest incarnation of Pillars, only one contributor is a dear friend and that is Andrew Mercer. Several of the other contributors are however, known to me by reputation or as friends of friends. As with the earlier Pillars, I am once again seated with the elect.

  PILLARS Vol.2, Issue.2 – ‘Seeds of Ares' as a project and work, addresses those aspects of the occult arts than many choose to ignore or avoid. We are presented with a mirror as bright as the shield of Ares himself, in which the darker and more chaotic aspects of our society are reflected. We explore the shadows cast by a society, in which the norms are turned on their head. My own chapter is a work of maledictus magicia and I explore amongst other things, the controversial use of the Psalms in cursing. Yet cursing is not the sole or even the primary focus of the work. Rather we are examining the controversy of the occult or magical artes. Areas of serious study that the dilettante is best to avoid.

  PILLARS Vol.2, Issue.2 – ‘Seeds of Ares' is published with a complementary CD of primarily instrumental music. It is music that has an ambience that is difficult to describe. Falling somewhere between the art of the Medieval Church and Post Modern Expressionism. It is conceptual, haunting and ethereal. I am listening to that CD again as I write now, it is an ideal accompaniment and captures the nature of the written word.

  The internal artwork of PILLARS Vol.2, Issue.2 – ‘Seeds of Ares' is of an equally high standard. Like the musical accompaniment, it serves to support the ethos of the written work in a manner that is both expressive and challenging.

  Once again the publishing house, the editors and their team, have created a work worthy of the most fastidious private library.

Anathema Publishing

https://www.anathemapublishing.com/webshops?fbclid=IwAR3r1S9SWIQUtjHNtWlkm0_Qe5_O5CpnqYA3Z_nZre1bGf2yP3MNWnaea-I

SEEDS OF ARES PRE-PUBLICATION ANNOUNCEMENT

https://chatteringmagpie.wordpress.com/2020/08/18/seeds-of-ares-pre-publication-announcement/

PILLARS IV – (Vol.2, Issue.1) – ‘Circling the Compass’

https://chatteringmagpie.wordpress.com/2019/09/29/pillars-iv-vol-2-issue-1-circling-the-compass/

Greenmantle Samhain 2020

I am pleased to confirm my inclusion in the Pagan magazine Greenmantle, recently published for Samhain 2020. This is not the first time I have written for Greenmantle, a publication that has itself been in existence for close to thirty years.

  This time however, rather than produce an article for publication. I have done something a little different. I have written a book review.

  I am as always honoured to write for a magazine with such a reliable reputation, steered as it is by a quality editorial team. I am of course pleased that my piece is worthy of further dissemination and having read the book I review, hope that others will find my words of benefit.

  Links to the book in question and Greenmantle magazine can be found below.

Encountering the Dark Goddess - A Journey into the Shadow Realms by Frances Billinghurst

https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/moon-books/our-books/encountering-dark-goddess-journey-shadow-realms?fbclid=IwAR3ME149ydR1gQuF2d4DWLdmbNuwWU5wIEV93G-BHcHEGHquw_UaUl2Qxdw

Encountering the Dark Goddess - A Journey into the Shadow Realms by Frances Billinghurst

https://chatteringmagpie-summonerofthehearth.blogspot.com/2020/06/book-review-encountering-dark-goddess.html

Greenmantle

https://www.facebook.com/Greenmantle-116987831781286

Greenmantle

http://greenmantle.org.uk/index.html