Inside the pumpkin…

Halloween is almost upon us again and if there is one thing that I really thank America for it is the way they celebrate by carving the most fantastic pumpkins. Yes, there is no doubt that the USA are the best pumpkin carving nation in the world. They have made carving a vegetable into an art form.

Back in the grey mist of my childhood we used to carve out turnips and I’ll never forget that horrible burnt scorched turnip smell on Halloween. These days, instead of a turnip, I carve pumpkins and place them in my front yard to amuse the scores of Trick or Treaters who come to our house each year. I’m sure that pumpkins were available, but Halloween was no big thing back then; no Trick or Treating, or parties, just the sign of the cross and early to bed to avoid the demons. And it was that mix of pumpkins and demons that led me to this.

All pumpkins have their own demons to wrestle with you see. Here are mine and those are my pumpkins awaiting carving on my kitchen table. I wonder who or what I will let out?

Inside the pumpkin

i) The questions

What monsters lurk

In those orange globes

Waiting for release?

What creatures hide

In seed and pith

To take away our peace?

What demons stir

In that deep dark flesh

To terrify and increase?

What memories await

A remembering

To drive us to decease?

What shadows need

To be set free

And become our alterpiece?

ii) The chant

Set free the beasts, set free the beasts,

With knife and saw and spoon.

Set free the beasts, set free the beasts,

To flame and scream at the moon.

There are beasts inside,

There are monsters inside,

Deep inside us all.

There are dark creatures inside,

There are demons inside

Determined we should fall.

Defeat the beasts, defile the beasts,

With thought, acceptance and scorn.

Defeat the beasts, defy the beasts,

And make their power stillborn.

iii) The warning

Inside each there lies a monster wriggling to get out.

Inside each a rabid demon spreading fear and doubt.

Each look deep into your pumpkin and cut your badness out.