Almanac Poetry: Jack-o’-lantern
Jack-o’-lantern. (Source: Wikimedia Commons.)
Jack-o’-lantern
Jack-o’-lantern,
hideous pumpkin,
sinister grinner,
country bumpkin,
all the long year
you’re a sight unseen
until you startle
at Halloween.
Read more from Kevin Densley HERE
Kevin Densley’s latest poetry collection, Sacredly Profane, is available HERE
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Kevin Densley is a graduate of both Deakin University and The University of Melbourne. He has taught writing and literature in numerous Victorian universities and TAFES. He is a poet and writer-in-general. His sixth book-length poetry collection, Isle Full of Noises, was published in early 2026 by Ginninderra Press. He is also the co-author of ten play collections for young people, as well as a multi Green Room Award nominated play, Last Chance Gas, published by Currency Press. Other writing includes screenplays for educational films.
C’mon, Almanackers!
Get into the spirit of Halloween, not just an American tradition, of course, but also an important date in the Christian (and earlier pagan) tradition, being All Hallows’/ All Saints’ Day, a time to remember the dead – the saints, martyrs, and the departed.
One traditional use of the Jack-o’-lantern was to put it on a windowsill to ward off evil spirits.
Such an interesting phenomenon – it’s hard to be unresponsive, I reckon.
C’mon! Reactions, please!
Boooooo!!! (Variant of the frightening ‘Boo’ sound!)
It’s Halloween. Sleepers, wake!