Tonight is Hallowe'en, and the fairy folk ride

[pameladean]

I have seen only one possible fairy person: she was about four feet tall and had a blue jewel on her forehead and a blue and white outfit that looked good for dancing in the dew. I have seen a giant white rabbit, a giant white rat, a pirate, a vampire, a clown, a pumpkin, a demon, a soldier with a gas mask, and a fair number of characters that I did not recognize, as well as several small people bundled up so much that it was uncertain what if any costumes they had on; also one screaming toddler, who I think was another pumpkin, but who did not wish to come up onto the porch.

It's the first time since we've lived here that I was worried about running out of candy.

I am cranky because I can't find my copy of the last Liavek anthology. The Liavekan Festival Week has one day that's rather like Hallowe'en and rather like the Day of the Dead and quite a bit like itself, and I wanted to quote from Mike's poem about it.

Oh, well, the Liavekan holiday is later in the winter, so perhaps I'll have found it by then.

P.

Comments

[inlaterdays.livejournal.com]

I wish we got trick-or-treaters here. The apartment clubhouse has a party for the children, which is wonderful of them, but I miss seeing the costumes.

I love your descriptions.

[carbonel]

Is this the one?

Procession Day/Remembrance Night: Processional/Recessional

Daylight's on the windowsill
Come you who are faithful still
Celebrate the work of will
Do not let us pass you by
Raise the stainless banners high
Take the streets and testify
Separate reasons how
Faith and confidence allow
Schisms shall be merry now
Practice, all you souls in clay
Toleration for one day
This anon shall pass away
Now the hour is growing late
Got (to each his own) is great
Homeward now, and contemplate
Lamps glow even, candles spark
People keep the light and mark
All the uses of the dark
Now the flags are furled and stacked
Marching costumes neatly packed
Faith reflects on mortal fact
At the end 'tis all the same
Something always snuffs the flame
Everybody knows its name
Many rest so very deep
Those above this vigil keep
Some must watch while others sleep
In the darkened streets below
Laughter's heard and lanterns throw
Stark light on a shadow-show
Children on the streets alone
Wearing masks of black and bone
In the shapes of things unknown
Overhead the raven sings
Down below walk flapping things
Decked with horns and claws and wings
Now the fleshless grin appears
Now the masquers' chorus cheers
Hail the Lord of Human Fears
Though the elders shield the eye
Trembling as He passes by
Children know they cannot die.

[damascene.livejournal.com]

Daylight's on the windowsill
Come you who are faithful still
Celebrate the work of will
Do not let us pass you by
Raise the stainless banners high
Take the streets and testify
Separate reasons reason how
Faith and confidence allow
Schisms shall be merry now
Patience, all you souls in clay
Toleration for one day
This anon shall pass away
Now the hour is growing late
God (to each his own) is great
Homeward now, and contemplate
Lamps glow even, candles spark
People keep the light and mark
All the uses of the dark
Now the flags are furled and stacked
Matching costumes neatly packed
Faith reflects on mortal fact
At the end 'tis all the same
Something always snuffs the flame
Everybody knows its name
Many rest so very deep
Those above this vigil keep
Some must watch while others sleep
In the darkened streets below
Laughter's heard, and lanterns throw
Stark light on a shadow-show
Children on the streets alone
Wearing masks of black and bone
In the shape of things unknown
Overhead the raven sings
Down below walk flapping things
Decked with horns and claws and wings
Now the fleshless grin appears
Now the masquers' chorus cheers
Hail the Lord of Human Fears
Though their elders shield the eye
Trembling as He passes by
Children know they cannot die.

"Procession Day / Remembrance Night: Processional / Recessional", JMF

[pameladean]

You guys are awesome.

P.

[aszanoni.livejournal.com]

Wow!

-delight- You two found it before I even picked up the book. I'm glad. I would have been trying to figure out which poem Pamela meant - out of the seven choices - and having to ask mournfully, I don't doubt.

Thank you.

Weirdly enough, that is the one Liavek book that Steve owns three copies of... :>

- Chica

[chaoticgoodnik.livejournal.com]

Overheard:
"If you're a fairy, where are your wings?"
"Dude, I had to put this costume together five minutes before I left for work. I didn't have time for wings."

[laurel]

Oh excellent that people found the piece for you-- we've got two sets of Liavek books here and I might've been able to find at least one of them, but that saved me typing and it's a good piece to see.

On Friday I was going crazy because I couldn't find my copy of How Much for Just the Planet or any copies, which is odd given I have many copies (I always pick 'em up when I find 'em cheap used). I so wanted to quote "Monochrome". I was delighted when a Google search turned up some guy's page of quotations which included it.

[damascene.livejournal.com]

Just in case it ever matters again, "Monochrome" is also in From the End of the Twentieth Century, and someday if you like I will tell you all about my Conversations With the Paramount Folks to get permission to have it in there (but I will never write any of that down, nope, nuh-unh, not a good idea).