Witches On Their Brooms – A Halloween Song
This poem was written as part of a contest held between the members of The Creative Exile Writing Group. It’s based on the song lyrics of the Doors hit, “Rider’s on the Storm.” You might want to watch the linked video first, and then read the corresponding work, just to recall the rhythm and tempo of the original work.
Witches On Their Brooms
Witches on their broom
Witches on their broom
A full moon in the sky
Witches gotta fly
Mother, Maid, or Crone
Their secrets still unknown
Witches riding brooms
There’s a cauldron on the fire
Looks like a funeral pyre,
Find your secret space
Make your children hide
For when the witches rule the sky
You better stay inside
Potions brewing on the fire
Balefires burning on the hills
Giving people chills
Greybeards hidden in their walls
People huddled under shawls
No one ever takes a stand
When the dark ‘crosses the land
Witches take what’s due
Witches flying past the moon
Witches riding on their brooms
Children running through the corn
Shirts and jackets torn
Pledges that were sworn
Now listen to them mourn
Witches riding in the gloom
Witches ride your brooms
High over the moon
As it turns to dark maroon
They watch the people swoon
Escaping on their brooms
Author’s Note
This piece is purely fictional and should by no means be interpreted as a criticism or attempt to stereotype witches, witchcraft, or any of the magickal arts, which I myself am a practitioner of many. Some of the terminology contained in this work might be unfamiliar to you. The reference to Mother, Maiden, Crone is often used in modern-day Paganism to represent the three forms of the goddess. Yet the term crone is used as a badge of honor and endearment in witchcraft; experienced in the practice, powerful, and a source of learning for initiates.
A Greybeard is a word used to describe one type of “Witches Bottle” which was made of brown or grey stoneware, glazed with salt and decorated with the faces of sever-looking bearded men who were supposed to scare off evil.
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RJ,
Ha Ha! Good! Well done! LOL… I like it! This is so creative! Sorry for all the explanation marks, but I think your lyrics are really cool! They Rock.
Nice work Ralph, very much enjoyed my friend. Cheers!
Wonderful lyrics, Ralph. I did recognize all your terms, for I have studied a lot on paganism and witchcraft. I am learning a lot about the pagan faith and love it, mainly because it is a nature faith. Very well done on this competition.
A very good entry into the competition, Ralph. Good subject and wording.
Interesting subject Ralph, pagan nature all encompassing and very uplifting. Lyrics in rhyme, Jim would be proud of you, I think he had a little paganism in him, being a flower child back in the day. He may have even been a student of the metaphysics. I dabbled myself when I was younger, took the religion out of me and left the spiritual in me forevermore. Excellent wording and entry indeed.
Good lyrics, kept theme throughout, rhythms are wonderful, good work.
I just had to sing along! And I love pagan poetry!
Wonderful poem, Ralph! It is another original take on the competition theme and I love it. Witches scared me and fascinated me when I was a very young child. (I grew up in Transylvania.) I used to see one riding at night by my window. Yes, of course I knew that it was a pigment of my imagination, the tree in front of my window swaying in the wind, but still, every night, I saw the same witch on her broom. Your poem made me think of “her”. As we tend to do with things that scare us, I started to learn about witches and now I appreciate everything connected to them. Personal connection aside, your poem was a joy to read.
I really enjoyed this. Made me think of my favorite three witches in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
This should be featured and sung to the music on Halloween. Such a creative and admirable take on the prompt, and so visually impressive. Enjoyed it Ralph. Well penned!
Best,
Mel
Had to come read this again. I love it. Have you seen the movie ‘Hocus Pocus’? There is so much symbolism in it, including the Mother, Maiden and Crone. My brother and I watch it every year. It is a spoof on the art of witchcraft, but enjoyable.