LesleyScoble.com

I wrote my poems for the Tanka Tuesday Halloween Poetry Challenge.

The prompt’s guidelines

The Witch’s Brew Poetry Challenge is to “Write a syllabic poem about a witch brewing a potion. Include vivid descriptions of ingredients and their effects.”

Oops! My tanka is about flying on a broomstick and nothing to do with potions or incanting spells!

Tanka 1.

on all hallows eve
in the dead chill of the night
I fly fast and free
with a cat on my broomstick—
owls watch from leafless branches

Realising my error, I adapted my first tanka into a second tanka (hopefully closer to the prompt’s brief).

Tanka 2.

---

In the challenge’s rules you may include a freestyle poem (As long as you include a syllabic poem, too)

I wrote Witch’s Brew in freestyle. It turned out longer than I intended (I hope you have the time and inclination to read it! 🧙)

Witch’s Brew

I am the witch of Calandra Hoo,
And I’m cooking up a devious plot,
in my homemade witchy brew.

My cauldron’s boiling
Scalding hot,
Time to add some ingredients
Into my steamy pitchy pot.

Let’s take a look
At my recipe book…
What does it say?

What have we got 
in the kitchen cupboard    today?
What stuff
To add to my stew?
Something nice 
Like flour and ketchup,
Vinegar and rice,
Cobwebs and glue,
With 
A cough, 
A huff, 
And spit in it, too.
(Witch coughs, huffs, etc.)

A bowl of sugar puffs
For dessert 
To add something sweet,
Plus a few small children to eat—just for a treat
(Oh, what a shame, they’re out of stock)
In their stead—
Coat marmite on bread
And a stick 
of Blackpool rock…
and sugar…
Yuck!

Add more cockroaches…
With a bit more of this,
And a bit less of that,
(Her black cat approaches) 

Halt! Don’t get too close, pussy,
Or I’ll add the claws of a cat!

Time to season
With a pinch of salt,
Ten dirty toenails,
Some slugs,
And a shrew…
The back end of a cow
and beetle dung
To chew,
Now…

What now?
One wagging tail of an old mongrel dog,
And I need something green 
To add to my brew…
A leprechaun,
One French frog,
A has-bean,
And one fresh leg of a warty toad—
Hmm, 
Only one?
I’m sure it is better with two,
I’ll pull off another—
Heh heh,
Here’s one for the road!

It’s all cooking nicely,
Starting to bubble and churn,
Sizzle and crackle,
Simmer and burn,

Time to take five
And have a good cackle,
(Witch cackles)
Cackle, cackle, cackle…

(Five minutes later)

Umm…
I need to add something else,
There’s not quite enough,
It looks ramshackle,
It needs 
One more ingredient,
Some sort of condiment,
Something with taste,
Used chewing gum…
Or a black bag of waste…
(Yum)

Ah! 
How could I forget!
That the things 
It still lacks
Are the wings of a bat!
A black shadow with cracks,
A dark night when a vampire sings,
The flowing mane of a horse,
And of course,
A little hocus-pocus,
And a squint out of focus,
Chanting and moans
A quick stir 
With a flourish of my hands,
A dash of brandy,
A squeeze of snake venom,
And a mutter of spells,
Ring the bells,
Dinner is ready!
Do you want some?


Lesley Scoble, November 2024

---

My personal history of being a witch!

I am an experienced witch! I love live theatre, and I have been fortunate to play in many pantomimes. My favourite role is the villainous witch Carabosse. I enjoyed performing this Sleeping Beauty character in major productions.

A stagehand took the snapshot below, between shows, on the stage of the Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon. He took it with my trusty Pentax, while I cavorted about swirling the costume’s voluminous cape.

---

CREDITS
Enormous thanks to Colleen Chesebro for her magical inspirations.
My thanks to you, dear reader, for reading.
I gotta go now—I’ve a broomstick to catch! 🧹

---

Lesley lives in the City of London Square Mile. An artist, actor and sculptor (her first ceramic sculpture won the V&A inspired by… Award). Scenic artist & book illustrator, playwright (her musical play, Rapscallion performed in inner city schools and theatre school); TV dancer; mime artist; Animator and illustrator for TV production. Set up Pinecone Studios Ltd and IIMSI Ltd drama and filmmaking workshops in London – producing award-winning films made by children.