The Veil between life and death.

As All Hallows Eve approaches, children will dress up as ghosts, witches, and skeletons, my son's favourite was a mad monk. He would take a magic 8 ball in his costume of a shabby grey cowl made from an ancient blanket, to tell his friends future.

When I wrote Halloween in Overdown, I did a lot of research into necromancing, ghosts, and life after death.

For children it's a game. For us it's a reminder of what's to come. 

In a 17th Century graveyard I saw a tombstone with a badly sculpted skeleton on it grinning. Underneath it said:

Passer by don't laugh at me,

for as I am now,

so you will be.

Today as the veil that separates the realms grows thin enough to pass through, I thought of my dear little cat who died eighteen months ago, missing him brought on a poem. I rescued him from starving to death with other animals on a farm in Tring. The RSPCA brought a successful prosecution and the farm was closed. Unfortunately so many of the animals were in such poor condition that the only way to help them was to put them to sleep. The others went on to find loving homes. When I picked up my little cat, he was a fur covered skeleton he had been trying to keep alive by eating horse poo, he was stinky, but had the most amazing Amber eyes. He put his paws either side of my face and kissed me on the nose, and the rest as they say is history.

This poem is for him

I miss your head on my shoulder and the way it fitted into the palm of my hand,

Your lovely little chirrups, to make me understand,

Your brilliant Amber eyes shone like torches in the dark,

I miss you my dear kitten and the way you used to lark,

Stealing bits of bacon, chasing ducky duck,

It was a shame my darling you were born to such bad luck.

You reached your paws around my face the first day that we met,

You took me as your mummy,

I took you to the vet.

Half starved and tiny, the vet gave me no hope,

but nearly ten years on my love proved he was a dope!

My bionic kitten cost a fortune at the vet,

seeing you playing in the garden in the sun and wet,

was worth the price I paid.

I'd do it all again my love if your life was saved.

How I loved my BoBo, my handsome little boy,

racing through Christmas wrapping to find your latest toy.

Your life ended as it started, me holding you in my arms,

I loved you so much little one, and all your funny charms.

I'll always always miss you because you belong to me,

I'll always always love you,

deeper than the sea. 

 Amber Evans April 2007-October 2017