I was a tiny in the 80s. The school I went to was very small and pretty old. There was a book that I read a number of times. I can’t remember the title and was hoping one of you may know it. There was a poem in it that has stuck with me all these years.
“Blood and bones Bones and blood
Here you are in the witches wood
No use to run nor try to hide
For better men than you have died
Draw the magic circle round
And Here you are Safe and sound”
The mystery of of the title haunts me. PLEASE tell me someone knows it. I don’t remember anything else about it other than it had a number of miles on it when I first read it. It had to have been written prior to '85.
It reminds me a bit of the Tempest or the three witches from MacBeth…maybe from a similar time period? Do you remember if it was a book of poems or other type of anthology or if it was a poem by a character in a story?
This was my first thought too, are there any other details about the book or maybe author or collection of books that you were read at the time? Maybe even some time period context for some background?
I did do a google search & both excerpts from MacBeth & Tempest came up but weren’t this particluar poem.
This is really haunting, you’re right. I did do a bit of research here quickly and wasn’t able to find anything. I’ll see if I can find something a bit later when I have some more time!
I’m afraid my searches didn’t bring much luck either- if I think of any other ways/places to run a search, I’ll do them! I hope you’re able to reconnect with the book
I agree with Charlotte- this information might help target the search!
@charlotte2
It wasn’t a book of poems, for sure. It was a story & the poem/chant was spoken by witches that the protagonists were trying to get away from. I did read child/young adult mysteries. I don’t think it was in a series but it may have been.
I didn’t have any success with google books (you can search phrases and look through book covers and texts). I found this page with some resources I have heard of before.
It helps to think of as many details as possible - including if you can remember the way the book looked. Some sites, look book cave or library thing, seem more helpful. I would avoid good reads unless you remember a lot more, they seem to have strict posting guidelines. Personally, I would try library thing and then try the Library of Congress.
i know this poem as well , I believe that it is either from a children’s Play based on the brother’s grim. The poem isn’t worded properly if its the one I’m thinking of here, but could come from this play if I recall properly. It’s the one about the baker who steals greens from a nearby witch’s garden for his wife. when he gets caught he is given 3 midnights to find 4 ingredients to a potion. A Cow as White as Milk, A Cape as Red as Blood, The Hair as Yellow as Corn, The Slipper as Pure as Gold.
My other thought is scary stories to tell in the dark might be the other place it’s from one of the three books. I remember this poem well just not the book.
it sounds like something they would write!