Before the rain and in between the football I scurried across the road on a dreich day looking for inspiration. All I found were leaves and a few twigs blown from the trees by what the weather man called a "Strong Breeze." I would like to know his definition of 'Storm!'
Rust coloured leaves are appearing everywhere, plants, trees and bushes are shedding heavily those that would compost make. Rust coloured trees, rain clouds, dark skies, this is what a poet called a season of 'Mist and mellow fruitfulness' or some such. This proves that Victorian poets were slightly off their heads just like today's poets are! John Keats was it? He lived in a big house in Hampstead just of the Heath, he could I suppose, always send the servants out to see what the weather was like over the road...
The shop on the corner was offering these gourds to passing trade. I am not sure if any sold. What on earth are they? What would you do with them anyway? The Pumpkin has become important at this time of year as the nation falls for yet another commercial money grab. When we were young, us poor people did not know about pumpkins, they were some foreign thing found in the USA, and when we went 'guising,' and not very successfully at that, we would use turnips, the inside scooped out and a face cut on the front. The candle was easy to find, we always kept spares just in case, and when lit we cheered.
Why? Who knows? For kids it's all fun.
The church even had a 'Halloween party,' I remember ducking for apples and attempting to eat a treacle tart hanging from a rope with hands behind my back. We were so hungry we were happy with that.
Now I see what is behind it I avoid it but would like to see the church offer an 'All Hallows eve' instead. What me heretical...?
