Halloween (Thursday Doors)

What enchantment lies
upon the apparitions
that shadow my footsteps home?

The street casts dark
spells—conjured tricks of the eye
that reveil what is not there.

Who inhabits these
spectral bones, these hollow eyes,
these reticulated threads?

Listen to the wind
singing inside the crow’s cry
that hovers always between.

The streets of New York have been anticipating Halloween for weeks. It’s a sudden outburst of spirits I’ve never seen before. But it makes every walk very entertaining.

Skeletons and skulls are particularly popular.

A lot of creativity and thought went into these displays.

I really like these pumpkins.

Even the sidewalks and outdoor dining sheds have gotten into the act.

This is the house that contains that first over-the-top door. It has a long and detailed history, which the Daytonian recounts, including as a private school and doctor’s offices with apartments for the doctors on the upper floors. Evidently now it’s a private residence again. I wonder if they go all out like this for every holiday? I’ll have to go over to the East Side and check it out in December.

My poem is a double mondo (a question and answer of 5-7-7 syllables), on the theme of spellcasting, for Colleen at Tanka Tuesday.

After a year long habitus, the house down the street is back in holiday decor action too.

And don’t forget to check out all the other doors at Thursday Doors, hosted by Dan Antion.