Poetry Magic 1

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The language of binding indeed seems to characterize the magical curses, and the Greek term katadesmos—binding down—is used in the ancient sources to designate the magical curse tablets. In addition to verbs of binding, verbs of handing over or registering appear, as the target is consigned to the power of the divinity invoked. It is notable, however, that such language of transfer also appears in the public curses, whereas binding less often appears in such prayers for justice or community curses. The word Tantra in this context literally means “scripture,” thought it is most often used to refer broadly to a group of texts and traditions. But he was referring to the use of a specific variety of text – one that allows the practitioner to attain magical or supernatural powers. In fact, when I lived amongst the Shaivite Sadhus of Varanasi, I most commonly heard the word “Tantra” used to mean, essentially, “Magic.”

What distinguishes poetry from other literary compositions? Nothing, says a vociferous body of opinion: they are all texts, to be understood by the same techniques as a philosophic treatise or tabloid newspaper. But that makes sense only to readers of advanced magazines, for poetry does indeed seem different. Even if we accept that poetry can be verse or prose – verse simply having a strong metrical element – poetry is surely distinguished by moving us deeply. In fact, for all but Postmodernists, it is an art form, and must therefore do what all art does – represent something of the world, express or evoke emotion, please us by its form, and stand on its own as something autonomous and self-defining. And like an incantation or a mantra, we can read a poem anytime to evoke the energy we programmed to it. It will always be there, encapsulated at the moment we created it. It can transport us, infuse us, remind us. Write a poetry spell with a certain number of lines or stanzas The redemption of the self is a valid way of approaching the redemption of all. One should never utter the poem without concentration, but instead sanctify it, know it, and reflect. But why poetry? Poetry moves and slides and breaks rules; in fact, we make the rules as we write it. It defies structure, as it is a living art form, ever-changing. Its power lies in what it contains, what it doesn’t, what it gives, and what it hides in its white spaces — and it thrives in liminal spaces. It’s witchcraft. Whoever hides in a house of stone the notable letters of these sacred verses inscribed on tin, as many things as broad Earth nourishes shall not harm him nor as many things as much-groaning Amphitrite rears in the sea. (Getty 81.A1.140.2 2–5)What is the dream’s message? Write that message into your poem. In this way, you are divining from the subconscious mind, mining the dreamscape, and channeling it from the ether into a physical thing to be explored and tapped into. Dedicate a whole section of your grimoire to dream poetry and you’ll watch the themes and messages unravel — allowing you to swim in a literary sea of the self. Herbal poetics The deadline for entries is Friday 27 October 2023; poems must be unpublished as of our spring Poetry News issue publication date at end December 2023. You can also create poetry spells by focusing each line or section on a specific intention, color, archetype, or goal.

And like a spell, a poem is born of intent and uses specific ingredients. Poetry is shadow work, a way of mining the depths. And through that act, it is a torch of illumination. Modernist poetry is said to cover the years 1890 to 1920 and includes Joyce, Pound, Eliot and Wyndham Lewis among many others. In reality the themes of Modernism cover a period of more than one hundred years, ending in the late twentieth century. Broadly speaking the features of modernist poetry include, in varying degrees:

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Free verse poetry is poetry without many of its usual rigours, which opens up the doors for lots of creative possibilities. That being said, it might feel a bit daunting for some budding writers when they have no form to follow, so we’ve come up with some lovely resources to make free verse poetry at KS2 a bit more fun and accessible!

Magic may thus be defined as a discourse (that is, not a thing, but a way of talking about things) pertaining to non-normative ritualized activity, in which the deviation from the norm is most often marked in terms of the perceived efficacy of the act, the familiarity of the performance within the cultural tradition, the ends for which the act is performed, or the social location of the performer. 2 Greek magic is then the discourse of magic within the ancient Greek world, which differs in various ways from the modern discourse of magic, as well as other ancient discourses of magic: Hebrew, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Phoenician, and even Roman. Powerful angels, just as this frog drips with blood and dries up, so also will the body of him, NN whom NN bore, because I adjure you, who are in command of fire, Maskelli Maskellō (add the rest, the usual). Want to try one? This 11-line poetry spell for healing is accessible and potent. Write automatically

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What words mean something to you? What words speak to your memories and personal power? Are there words that speak to your identity, your resistance, your body, your journey? Choose five of these words and write a 5-stanza poem using each of them, or write five poems (as a set to be read aloud together) utilizing each.When you speak them aloud, you can call on these qualities. Dream poetry

Daniel Ogden, Magic, Witchcraft and Ghosts in the Greek and Roman Worlds, 2nd ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009). Read Natalie Diaz’s “ No More Cake Here.” What kind of magic appears in these poems? What kind of party does Diaz imagine, and what purpose does it serve? What story does it tell about the speaker’s brother, and why might she have chosen to write a poem like this to tell that story? No doubt more could be said, but the starting poet may be feeling impatient. Theorists, like clever lawyers, can prove anything, and it is all too easy for an atrocious piece of writing to be defended by irrefutable standards. Are there not more practical ways of assessing poetry? Of course the answer is both. It then lies with us, the readers, to cast these spell of each poem with our own intention, again and again, as we conjure and unify with the world we seek.

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The impact of social location works both ways. A remedy used by old wives may be labeled magic and thus dismissed by an urbane sophisticate, but likewise a remedy may be dismissed by labelling it an old wives’ tale and thus magic, whether or not it is actually brought forth by (or even ever used by) old wives. Karl Preisendanz and Albert Henrichs, Papyri Graecae Magicae: Die Griechischen Zauberpapyri, 2nd ed. (Stuttgart, Germany: Teubner, 1973); William M. Brashear, “The Greek Magical Papyri,” Aufsteig Und Niedergang Der Römischen Welt II 18 (1995): 3380–3684; and Hans Dieter Betz, ed., The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation: Including the Demotic Spells, 2nd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1992). Translations of the PGM in this article are taken from Betz.