Hours of the Tide: Valentine's & the American Love Witch's Altar
From the Book of Work
Not long ago, they say,
Love magics were commonly referred to as
projects, fortunes and tricks
They are sweet and spicey and seductive
They are prickly, piercing and poisonous
In colors warm, wild, rich or mild
The hours of this work is midnight
On Fridays and Mondays
Under full moons, and in total darkness
in bedrooms, basements, groves and cellars
And done on any holy day-- Hallows and May Day are best.
The tools of arte are apples, mirrors, figure-candles and combs; cups, dolls, pins, roses and heart-shaped leaves and winding wools, love roots, shears and elixirs; eggs, handkerchiefs and some foot-tracks; love-herbs, drugged wine and perfume, spellbooks and lodestones, diamond rings-- and sweetening jars full of sugar or honey.
The mirror is the center; all work before her is great;
capture moonlight in her and shine her on a lover to ensnare them;
eat an apple before the mirror as you comb your hair. At the ninth stroke, the visions begin.
The tracks and tacks will avert, the wool and lodestone will draw,
the wine will entangle, the sweet jar will persuade and the elixir will arouse;
the apple and comb-- these are conduits,
and the egg or the ring are diviner's tools-- with water as their vessel,
But the mirror-- ever the center, all work before her is great.
Like the merfolk and Venus knew very well;
the mirror reflects more than love and beauty;
it portends danger, shows you your heart’s desire,
and catches souls.
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