There hasn't been much call in my life for the past 10 or so years for what I call "escapist literature," the latter word broadly denoted. While at one time I was a devourer of such, I have since come to realize that this genre is no longer appealing in my repretoire of missives and tomes. 

Whew! It's been a while since I posted anything ...

Quick update: my research on the literary hag is being published. It will be available to universities and other interested parties in September this year! Very exciting. My advisor has already tagged me to attend next year's conference, and I plan to continue my Pagan-themed research, hoping to set a precedent for the Pagan literati! *smiles sheepishly*

I have finally completed the first official draft of my research paper on the literary hag archetype. Whew! Three people whose opinions and judgement I trust are looking at it for me, one has already gotten back to me and the other two I'm still waiting on. (As soon as I have the final draft, I'll post it here, if anyone is interested in reading it.) The conference is next week: I'm leaving for San Francisco on Wednesday, and I'm going to have so much fun! Neo-hippy that I am, I'll be down in Asbury-Haight ... blending in! :P

Souls are wrought in the stars.

Each is born with a key.
Their wisdom lays within,
unique to the soul
and needed by all.
One will not fit
without all the others.

The water has run its course,
and the shaft it cleft is closed.
Too soon the bed cracks,
swallowing near-dead left behind.

One key the file,
one key the trowl,
one key the grout --
all will open thought.

Crusted eyes awake,
to follow that key

That one Key

which has found its voice,
and all the others will listen.

This is the one key
which will open the water's shaft
and all those that came before
to reveal the wisdom within.

Thankfully, one paper is complete, the second paper's due date was moved out a week-and-a-half and the third paper (the big one!) is about half finished! Thank the Gods for shifting things around for me!