Falling Petals (poem)

Petals are falling

From the sky

Slowly they glide

Before my eyes

I watch them dance

Along the breeze

How you would have loved

To see them fall with such ease

The cool wind, it whips

My hair around

As I watch the petals

Fall towards the ground

Tears slide slowly

Down my cheek

As the petals land softly

Around my feet

They cover the ground

With their whites and their reds

A single petal

For each tear shed

So lovely - These petals

That I wish you could see

But alas, you cannot

For your buried beneath

© Copyright E.F. Rose 12.05.13

Timeless (poem)

She looks out across

The pale, misty sky

As she sits upon

Her swing so high

Her feet, they dangle

In the air

As she slowly sways

Without a care

She wants nothing more

Than to swing all day

She’s never had a desire

To run or play

The feel of the wind

As through the air she flows

Just as in life -

In death, is all she knows

© Copyright E.F. Rose 11.14.13

My Darkness (Poem)

I run my fingers

Through my hair

It’s tangled and matted

Yet I can’t seem to care

My clothes are covered

With dirt and mud

And a substance so red

I know it is blood

I can’t seem to place

The last half hour

Or make any sense

Of the trampled flowers

Looking down

I spot a knife

Laying by my feet

Catching the light

Kneeling slowly

Upon the dirt

I lick my lips

Taking a closer look

The blade is tinged

A shiny red

Chills run through me

As I shake my head

A sudden image

Catches my eye

I gasp aloud

Spotting where you lie

Your form - so still

Upon the ground

Your eyes - closed tight

Like you’re sleeping sound

The ground is soaked

Beneath your head

I spot several holes

From which you bled

This cannot be

It makes no sense

Yet this feeling of despair

Is not what makes me tense

Glancing at the blood

That’s all around

At what’s upon my self

And on the ground

There can only be

One true conclusion

Unlike the images in my mind

This is no illusion

For the darkness in me

That I’ve tried to hide

The other me

That resides inside

Has finally made

It’s presence known

Pushed me aside

Acted on it’s own

I wish I could remember

How you got to where you lie

Seen your last breath escape your lips

Been able to say goodbye

But the other me

Has buried it deep

Leaving nothing for me

Just a darkness, causing me to weep

I tear slides down my face

I whisper “I didn’t know!”

As deep within my troubled mind

I feel the other me’s smile grow

© Copyright E.F. Rose 11.12.13

~ Don't Miss Out ~

~~~~~~~~~~~UPDATE: for My Dark Side~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“My Dark Side” by my friend, J. Ramirez, was released on September 22nd and has been going strong ever since!! It is a fantastic novel, one that I truly enjoyed from beginning to end...I wanted to let everyone know what sites you can find “My Dark Side” on so that no one misses out on this great read!!!

iTunes -  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/my-dark-side/id716446799?mt=11&uo=4&at=11lbPH

AMAZON.COM - http://amzn.to/19NgZHH

AMAZON.CA - http://amzn.to/15uajzW

AMAZON.CO.UK - http://amzn.to/15hdhb4

B&N - http://bit.ly/1b383An

WHSMITH - http://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/my-dark-side/product/9780990006671

SMASHWORDS - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/359417?ref=authorjramirez

KOBO - http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/my-dark-side-1

Sony eReader - coming soon

Hugs to all!!!

~ Emily xo

Origins of Halloween

Origins of Halloween

  

When I was younger, Halloween held a very simple meaning to me: lots of candy and fun costumes!  I remember looking forward to it when I was in elementary school because we could take our costumes to school, and near the end of the day, change into them for a Halloween party.  There would be candy, cupcakes, games, and (most importantly) a parade - in which we all got to participate, and walk around the school showing off our costumes to all.  There was nothing like it!  

  As I got older, the fun of dressing up remained but the parties themselves have changed.  Now there are costume competitions, local clubs or houses, and fancy drinks that with the help of dry ice, fog over while you drink it.  This holiday has always been a favorite of mine, and though I did not find out until later the fantastic history and meaning behind it, Halloween has always held a special place for me.

~*~

  After much research, I found that there is a lot behind what made Halloween what it is today.  So though I would love to go into detail about every interesting aspect of it (and it is fascinating), I will hit on parts that (for all intentions) I found to be highly interesting.  Of course, since I plan on writing a little every day this month of topics directly or indirectly concerning Halloween, I’m sure I’ll fit in information that I may not have hit on here...So, without further adieu...Here’s what I found!

~*~

  Halloween originated from the Celtic holiday, Samhain, which is Gaelic for “summer’s end”.  This was a day that the Celts believed the line between the living and the dead would become blurred.  The dead would be able to come across at this time and either find their loved ones, or take revenge against those they feel did them wrong.  They also felt that on this day fairies would also be able to come into our world to cause mischief or harm.  It was these beliefs that brought on the tradition of wearing costumes on Halloween.

  People would dress up in different costumes or wear various masks to hide themselves from the evil spirits.  They would also dance around bonfires to keep evil spirits away, but at the same time they would leave their doors open in hope that the kind spirits of loved ones might join them around their hearths.  This was a very important time of year for the Celts, for this day not only marked the end of summer and the harvest, but also the beginning of the dark, cold winter - a time that was often associated with human death.  

By the end of the 12th century, October 31st (Halloween/All Hallows Eve), November 1st (All Hallows Day) and November 2nd (All Souls Day), had become holy days of obligation across Europe.  They involved such traditions as ringing bells for the souls in purgatory. "Souling", and the sharing of soul cakes, which after being eaten, was supposed to represent a soul being freed from purgatory - this has been suggested as the origin of trick-or-treating.  

   Groups of poor people, often children, would go door-to-door on All Saints/All Souls collecting soul cakes, originally as a means of praying for souls in purgatory.  This was very much like the young in Scotland and Ireland, which would go around for money or food.  

   Similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy.  Shakespeare mentions the practice in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1593), when Speed accuses his master of "puling [whimpering or whining] like a beggar at Hallowmas."

  So as you can see, this holiday was widely practiced throughout most of Europe, with some of the earliest documentations coming from well over 2,000 years ago.  Around 1605 however, Britain saw these customs come under attack during the Reformation, and the English saw the popularity of Halloween wane while the popularity of a very cosmetically similar holiday, Guy Fawkes Day (November 5th), rose.  In Ireland and Scotland however, the tradition of Halloween (Samhain) remained strong and thrived.

  Surprising to most, it wasn’t until the 19th century, during the mass Irish and Scottish immigration, that the first documents of Halloween were noted here in the states.  It was celebrated mainly within the Irish and Scottish communities and, gradually, spread into the mainstream society.  It was within the early years of the 20th century that this beloved holiday was documented as being celebrated from coast to coast - by everyone, regardless of religion or race.

  It’s amazing to me, that even after all of this time, the traditions of Halloween have held true.  Sure many of us that celebrate it have lost the meaning behind most of its customs...and have found it to be nothing more than a reason to indulge in our sugar addictions and partying habits.  But for those of us that have a fascination with the history of the holiday, and have taken the time to delve into it’s rich past, Halloween’s TRUE origins will live on...

My review of "My Dark Side" by J. Ramirez

Hey everyone!! I’m excited to announce that my friend, J. Ramirez, will be releasing his debut novel “My Dark Side” for Kindle this coming Sunday, September 22nd.  I had the pleasure of being one of his beta readers and getting to read “My Dark Side” at it’s rawest state was a real treat for me.  He has created some incredible characters and the hard work that J has put into his novel truly shows through.  

“My Dark Side” is a beautifully written gothic novel about a young girl - Scarlett Verandia - who is moved across the country by her mother, taken to a town she knows nothing about, and brought into a life she’s forced to come to grips with.   Scarlett finds herself knee-deep in curses, magic and mystery....with only a few people she can trust and more questions running through her head than answers.  This novel takes you through the ups and downs of being a gothic girl stuck in a prom queen environment...with jaw dropping twists around every corner!   

~*~

Here is a short summary for “My Dark Side” written by J. Ramirez on his Goodreads page:

The last thing Scarlett Verandia wanted was to move across the country, leaving her soul mate behind. However, with nightmares plaguing her every night, she couldn’t help but think a change of scenery might help. When she arrived at Cold Spring, everything seemed quiet and peaceful, but as she learned more about the town and discovered a journal over a century old, her nightmares were only the beginning.

All of a sudden she was having visions, learning of curses and being prepared for something which she did not know. With strange abilities manifesting within her, she learns her life may be in danger, and the only way to survive would be to embrace her dark side.

~*~

Look for this amazing book in the Amazon Kindle store this Sunday and please check out my friend, the talent behind the novel, J. Ramirez!!!  

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7265708.J_Ramirez

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjramirez

Twitter: https://twitter.com/J_Ramirez001

Also check out his webpage --> http://www.authorjramirez.com

~ Emily

xoxo

Obsessed (Poem)

The breath that I’ve been holding

Escapes slowly from my lips

Caused by the softest touch

From our recent kiss

I teasingly run my fingers

Over your upturned face

Shivering with excitement

At each little gasp you make

You cannot see me smile

See my eyes gleaming with delight

For I was ever so careful

To tie the blindfold nice and tight

I’ve always wanted to posses you

To have you all to myself

Keeping you safe and secure

Sharing you with no one else

And as I slowly straddle your body,

You’re so still upon my bed

My eyes travel over the chains

Which secure your arms above your head

You plead and say you’re sorry

As I feel your body give a shudder

You moan out that you love only me

And tell me that there’s no other

Yet though I know for a fact

That what you say to me isn’t true

I just can’t seem to give you up

For you see, it’s always been you

And though you cannot see me

I slowly shake my head

Running my fingers over your lips

I can feel my need for you spread

This obsession that I have for you

Is stronger than anything else I know

Smiling, I lean towards you and whisper,

“I told you I’d never let you go!”

© Copyright E.F. Rose 9.11.13