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Tuesday, October 26, 2010

I knew a real Witch




I knew a witch, in real life
One like on the Wizard of Oz
Always dressed in a black dress
With a sneer on her face

Once a week, she would be in her yard
With a big canvas bag of salt
Slowly, hunched over 
She would spread the salt around her house

I was terrified of her and her antics
She would come to our home
Gnarly fingers, ringing the bell
We would all scream for someone else to answer the door

In her arms and inside a bag she carried
Cobalt blue glass bottles
She claimed it was homemade perfume
My mother seemed frightened and bought one

It smelled horrible, and I was sure
It was some kind of witch potion.
Throwing it away, I wrapped it in newspaper
Just in case the witch checked our trash

One day, the Witch came again
We were all frightened
My mother yelled to me to say
"I'm not home"

Taking a deep breath,
I opened the door and saw her
Dressed in black
Cobalt blue glass bottles in her hands

Opening the door, just to peek my head outside
The witch stood there solemnly
Almost crying and trying to be a good daughter
I blurted out the words-  "My mom told me to tell you, she isn't home"

Realizing what I said
A witches curse, to be sure
I thought of Dorothy
Wishing, the wicked witch was dead

 This is a true story.  She was an old Italian lady and spread salt around her house to keep the "evil spirits" away.  Now, that I am older, I realize she did make the lavender scented perfume to sell to earn extra money.  She was a widow for many years.  And, she always wore a black dress.  I guess, she was in mourning all those years after her husband died.  I did think she was the wicked witch in the Story, though Mrs **** was a little on the chubby side.   I always crossed the street to the other side when walking to and from school.  Horrified to pass her home.  My mother did come down to the stoop where I stood before Mrs*** and embarrassed told her that I was playing a joke and she was home the whole time.  She gave me a look like I was in for it, and yes, I did get it.


Wysteria

20 comments:

  1. I knew as soon as I read about the salt that it was for evil spirits. Isnt it funny how we percieve things in youth, only to realize something different yrs later.

    great tale.

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  2. Witches still use salt for protection. I like this poem, says the very not evil witch :)

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  3. I'll bet she was the lonely sort...seems so.But the peculiar thing's done would make me cautious of anyone even to this day. Probably a good move on your part.

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  4. Wysteria, how often we draw conclusions about people that are not correct. This woman was no witch at all. How childlike to say "My mom said to say she wasn't home." I love it! I am sure your mother cringed. Wysteria, I am adding your blog to my blogroll. I like your poetry...and your attitude!

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  5. Good story. I appreciated the footnotes. It is interesting that people are often very different than they appear. - bill

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  6. nice...well...kinda creepy old lady...through the eyes of a child easy to see a witch...nice one shot

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  7. i can imagine how scared you were...when i was a child we had a man living in the neighbourhood and he was scary as well..and when he turned up all children ran away or screamed after him (not nice..)
    i got house arrest for this....nice one shot!

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  8. Oh the things we do as kids. How scared we can become of someone who is different.

    Sorry about the house arrest, I have been in that situation more times than I want to recall...lol


    Thanks for stopping by

    Wysteria

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  9. Great write Wysteria. Nice One Shot. Love and Light, Sender

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  10. An intriguing story, thanks for the back-story as well, it illuminates the poem for us.

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  11. You had me to the end. Sad though for the "non" witch. Makes me think of Elfaba whose story was very different from the one in Oz. Good write. Thanks, Gay @beachanny http://beachanny.blogspot.com

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  12. oh the sprinkling of white powder, a pinch of salt over the shoulder... eerie and the devils mischief. I also knew a girl who tried to curse people by throwing pennies inside, near, and round their home. exciting poem, nice one shot

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  13. Dear Wysteria... some memories from the childhood linger well over the adulthood and some of them are not so great too... you have penned a beautiful story here and I liked reading it all.. I could see it all happening like a movie and that is the simple beauty of your verse.. thanks for sharing...


    ॐ नमः शिवाय
    Om Namah Shivaya
    Twitter: @VerseEveryDay
    Blog: http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com

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  14. that is a great story of your innocence!

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  15. Aw, hope you didn't "get it" too much since you were told to lie and you were frightened and just said what came to your mind as all kids will do.

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  16. What a wonderful tale you weave I know people can act in such a manner that we misunderstand them

    thanks for sharing with One Shot
    hope you have a great weekend

    moonie smiles

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