Witches' Chant


Double, double, toil and trouble
fire burn and cauldron bubble

Stoke the fire, raise the heat
around the pot this chant repeat,
add each part until it’s done,
to the boiling, one by one!

Search about in midnight’s dark
before the call of morning lark,
scale the dragon ‘fore its flight
the recipe must be just right.

Watch the smoke fill morning’s air
disguising daybreak’s golden hair;
stir the brew, recite the rhyme
‘til Harpier cries 'tis time! 'tis time!


august 2006
©Janet Reid
with thanks to Shakespeare