7 Significant Witchcraft Poems

Poems about witchcraft unravel the mystique and magic surrounding this ancient practice. They explore the duality of witches, often portrayed as both feared and revered figures throughout history.

These verses delve into the esoteric knowledge, herbal remedies, and spiritual connection that defines witchcraft. Poems about witchcraft may also challenge the negative stereotypes and persecution witches have endured, portraying them as wise and powerful individuals connected to nature and the unseen realms.

These verses celebrate the strength and wisdom of those who embrace the path of the witch and the mysteries that lie beyond our conventional understanding of reality.

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Tam O’Shanter

by Robert Burns

One of the classics of Scottish literature, ‘Tam O’Shanter’ is a poem whose influence has spread beyond the borders of Scotland. A tale of drunken misadventure mixed with faux gothic and comedy horror, this poem somehow manages to transcend the mix of styles and tell a tale that has stood the test of time.

Witches are some of the main characters of the poem. Tam encounters them during the latter half of the poem, and they drive the story forward as they pursue him. Even before the poem reaches the church, the witches are mentioned, as well as the superstitions that surround the church. This poem gives an insight into how people thought of witches back in this time, showing the superstitions that surrounded witchcraft and the beliefs in what they did.

When chapmen billies leave the street,

And drouthy neibors, neibors meet,

As market days are wearing late,

An' folk begin to tak the gate;

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Half Hanged Mary

by Margaret Atwood

‘Half Hanged Mary’ by Atwood narrates her ancestor Mary Webster’s survival from a witch trial hanging, highlighting her resilience.

The entire poem is based on the real-life accusation of Mary Webster, who was labeled a witch without any proof. In her Puritan society, women who were independent or different were often seen as dangerous. The poem shows how fear and superstition led people to commit terrible acts. Mary was targeted simply because she did not fit into the expectations of her community.

Rumour was loose in the air

hunting for some neck to land on.

I was milking the cow,

the barn door open to the sunset

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The Hag

by Robert Herrick

‘The Hag’ by Robert Herrick is short poem that imagines with haunting detail a witch’s emergence into the night.

The central topic of Herrick's poem is witchcraft or, more precisely, the activities of a witch on a nightly flight. Everything about the speaker's descriptions of the hag is indicative of religious perceptions about the phenomena and echoes the poet's own theological bias, which results in a terrifying portrait of 17th-century witch hysteria.

The Hag is astride,

This night for to ride;

The Devill and shee together:

Through thick, and through thin,

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A Rhyme for Halloween

by Maurice Kilwein Guevara

‘A Rhyme for Halloween’ by Maurice Kilwein Guevara captures the macabre side of the fun Halloween holiday.

Witchcraft is also touched on within the poem and actually becomes a dominant part of it in its final stanzas. As the speaker moves past the Halloween celebrations of the townsfolk, they hone in on a martyred woman killed for supposedly being a witch. This also serves as a powerful allusion to the witch hunts that occurred in both Colombia and the United States.

Tonight I light the candles of my eyes in the lee

And swing down this branch full of red leaves.

Yellow moon, skull and spine of the hare,

Arrow me to town on the neck of the air.

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The Lammas Hireling

by Ian Duhig

A farmer’s eerie encounter with a warlock-hireling during Lammas harvest unfolds in Ian Duhig’s award-winning ‘The Lammas Hireling’.

The strongest topic in this poem is witchcraft. The strange events that unfold, such as the hireling’s transformation, the use of an old Irish chant, and the speaker’s fear-driven murder, all suggest something magical and unnatural is happening. The reference to silver bullets and the connection to old rural superstitions further support this. The poem plays with the idea that the supernatural can exist in quiet places and take hold of the most ordinary people.

After the fair, I’d still a light heart

and a heavy purse, he struck so cheap.

And cattle doted on him: in his time

mine only dropped heifers, fat as cream.

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Loving Someone You Can't Have

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La Belle Dame sans Merci

by John Keats

‘La Belle Dame sans Merci’ by John Keats is an intriguing narrative that explores death, decay, and love with a supernatural aura.

Witchcraft lurks beneath the surface, as the lady's seductive allure and ability to ensnare men in illusions evoke the trope of the femme fatale. This archetype subtly hints at witchcraft, portraying women who use their charm and beauty to manipulate and trap unsuspecting victims. Nevertheless, the lady's supernatural aura mirrors the enchanting yet deceitful nature often stereotypically attributed to witches.

O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,

Alone and palely loitering?

The sedge has withered from the lake,

And no birds sing.

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Her Kind

by Anne Sexton

‘Her Kind’ by Anne Sexton celebrates brave women who value freedom and fearlessly break away from patriarchal norms.

where your flames still bite my thigh

and my ribs crack where your wheels wind.

A woman like that is not ashamed to die.

I have been her kind.

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7 Significant Witchcraft Poems

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7 Significant Witchcraft Poems

Tam O’Shanter

by Robert Burns

Half Hanged Mary

by Margaret Atwood

The Hag

by Robert Herrick

A Rhyme for Halloween

by Maurice Kilwein Guevara

The Lammas Hireling

by Ian Duhig

La Belle Dame sans Merci

by John Keats

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