Children of the Night

“Listen to them, the children of the night, what music they make.”
–Bram Stoker

There’s a dark path in the forest that reaches not only to the horizon but far up into the stars in the sky.  The contours float, infused inside and out by an endless melody that sings chaos into shimmering pattern.

Where does the story end?  Perhaps it leads to dreams that have been hidden away, to possibilities invisible in the light of day.  To once upon a time that becomes here and now.

If you listen–still, silent, boundaried by the night–it’s possible to catch a glimpse of these distant voices.  But only a child can find the entrance to this liminal landscape of matter, spirit, and sound.

wonder shines
silvered, transcendent–
opening

The Kick-About prompt this week was the quote from Dracula, above. These monoprint paintings were a response to that.

The road from Samhain to vampire costumes for Halloween travels through the pop culturization of every holiday we celebrate for commercial purposes. But that does not completely disguise its real roots in the transition from fall to winter and the crossing over that occurs between the worlds of the living and the dead.

It’s fitting that we have turned Samhain into a children’s festival–we can join in for their sake, hidden behind masks, remaining rational adults while keeping a thread tied to our ancient rites of passage.

Children are our conduit to what we are ashamed to acknowledge. They remain close to the Other Worlds–they still believe completely in magic.

For earthweal, where Sarah has asked us to think about Samhain and celebrate the places that lie between.

31 thoughts on “Children of the Night”

  4. Beautiful reflection on this time of year, Kerfe. I never thought about it quite in this way before. I like the art, too. The first ones make me think of the night sky, and the very last one the way it looks when you stand by a tree and see the sun shine through the autumn–colored leaves.

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  6. Yes, children are so full of wonder. The trick is keeping some of that shine as we age….I think it comes back in our later years. Though you are young and seem to still see through eyes of wonder. Loved this post. Your art, as always, is wonderful – fall colours.

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  10. There’s a spot on my pre-dawn walks where I stop to listen to the faintest whispers of breeze high up a huge camphor tree: that slight, distant sound is so easily lost to the blare of human living, but it’s also a stair to the liminal place you write and paint here. A holy place for me and waiting.

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  11. Lovely artwork. and the words, lovely as well. I especially loved: ‘only a child can find the entrance to this liminal landscape of matter, spirit, and sound.’
    There is so much to learn from children. And we’ve heard it before “be more like children”
    Thanks for sharing. xo

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  12. I adore this, Kerfe. Samhain is a time of opening and wonder, absolutely, and it feels to me that the veil is so thin today I should declare it in full bloom!

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