Things Unexplainable Incite Fear

In the Discoverie of Witchcraft,
Reginald Scot illuminated the
shadows of the craft-exposing
the heretical inanity that mania
breeds

Brightly dimming glimmer raised
upon the dais

Fostering contempt to those that
supposedly lived under Christian skies, yet
still cast many upon the throes of
persecution in what was a case of premature reactions
to thing unexplainable.

It is also entirely likely, that some of these knees jerked quickly in what was seen as the necessary immediacy to quell the flames of embarrassment from spreading any further.

Powerful officials do not enjoy egg or pie

Magic
how wonderful an art
Rabbits in hats
birds fluttering across the proscenium arch
beautiful assistants cut in two

Magic
how it's elevation has been altered,
focusing on illusion more and more
as the days have pushed forward, until today,
where we have, some of the most outstanding
magician's ever displayed,

No disrespect of course,
to those that paved the way, for without, the shadow
of the craft, will never have burned so brightly as it does today

Yet still,
it is sad that many of these pioneers of craft,
found just as many accusations of conspiring with evil, as they did
the awes from those enamored by their act, one that was, as is today, not so easily explained.



Over at D'Verse, Karin(aka Manicdaily) is hosting Poetics and has written a pretty neat article regarding Groundhog's Day, no not the classic comedy, but the one about Phil, the lovable shadow seeing rodent of lore.  In the article she hones in on a theme for this week's poetics.  That being, the bright shadow.  Thinking upon this seeming incongruity, my thoughts somehow were pushed to thinking about how we as a society are quick to chastise and condemn those considered different.

My original intent was to cover sort of a sweeping timelines of such instances. I was going to being with some examples from Foucault's wonderful History of Madness and move forward through the ages, winding up with something of current relevance.  However, in the simmering process, I quickly recalled an old text referred to in one of the magic books I have and eventually found it.  This text of course being the Discoverie of Witchcraft, which is more a condemnation against the premature and inane persecutions of those considered witches by the Church of that day.  In addition, it offers what is perhaps one of the first clarifications about Magic, not the dark arts magic, but the hocus pocus, rabbit in a hat magic.  Without actually reading the book, I do hope the references I came across in my books and the quick search I did on the book are accurately portrayed in how I used it here, and in result, I am intrigued enough to try and find a copy.

So, after I settled on this one facet of the theme I chose, I thought it encompassing enough not to go further into other examples, which, as I said, was my original game plan, which of course would of been possible to do, yet also seemingly unnecessary.

I urge you all to promptly hop on over to D'Verse, read Karin's article, compose your own piece on this idea of Bright Shadows.  Once you do, share it on the site, and check out all the wonderful responses from the other poets of D'Verse.  Cheers.