SPELL

Introduction

I've decided to write this poem for the Ambys 2021 contest. Hopefully, this gets somewhere...

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Poetry is magic. And poems are spells. The spirituality of poetry is clear — but it’s not always obvious; like many paths and practices (especially witchcraft, folk magic, or other spiritual paths), poetry is a way toward self-reclamation, finding autonomy, understanding yourself and the world, and getting in touch with the divine, mysterious force within us — creativity.

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.

If we are the soil, the poetry is the rose that blooms. And the magic — that’s what brings it to the surface.