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Faeries at the Door

slow24

00:00 / 04:21

HOLES: CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
HALLOWEEN SURPRISE

The first trick-or-treaters who arrived at my door were dressed as faeries. Each had a bag with a strange name on it. I thought for a moment that the names might be in some kind of faery language.

Trolls at the Door

The next kids were dressed as trolls. I noticed that each bag had the word "troll" on it, but on some of the bags the word "troll" was spelled with three "l's," not two. I wondered if someone had done that on purpose to make them seem more adorable.

The Patriot

Then an adult trick-or-treater showed up at my door. He had wrapped himself in the American flag but wore a demonic mask. "They call me 'The Patriot,'" he claimed. "I'm here to ask for your vote on November 5th!"
"Nice costume," I replied.
"When I win, I will check to see whether or not you voted for me," The Patriot claimed. "If you didn't vote for me, I will order scientists to conduct experiments to determine whether or not you have bad genes. If we determine that you are a vermin, your entire family will be wiped out because your grandparents and parents and aunts and uncles and nephews and nieces and cousins and children have similar genes. We will exterminate all of you because you represent the enemy within."
"Here, have a piece of candy. Maybe that will make you feel better," I grunted. "Happy Halloween!"

Farmer Boy

Then a boy dressed as a farmer showed up at the door. "My family made me wear this to show that we grow almonds and cotton and pasture grass on several large farms here in the valley."
"Good for you. Your family must be very well-off," I grinned.

Sandhill Cranes by a Once Mighty River

"Yes, my parents told me that the river where we get our water to irrigate our crops was once the largest and mightiest river in the valley. It used to flow to the bay and refresh the wetlands in wet years. Now it's just a trickle of water, and only a few birds hang out there. We're so proud that we have tamed this land!" the boy blurted out.
"Well, here's a piece of candy," I muttered. "Happy Halloween!"

Native American at the Door

Then at the door I encountered a girl dressed as a Native American. "I don't understand why you people celebrate the horrors of the human condition!" she blurted out. "When settlers of European descent came to this region, they murdered almost all of the people in my tribe. Only a handful of us remain. Is that why your people celebrate?"

Genocide in the Valley

I shook my head. "No, no, it's just a silly tradition," I mumbled. "Please don't take it personally. Here, have a piece of candy--and have a great evening," I mumbled as I shut the door.

Debt Collector at the Door

Oddly, another adult showed up at the door. "Where's the party?" he inquired, chuckling. "No, no, seriously, I'm here to collect your debt. You're up to your eyeballs in it. You've maxed out your credit cards and can't afford your mortgage or your car payment or your insurance payment. Soon I will be back to take away your TV and your furniture and your car and your house. Happy Halloween, sucker!"
I didn't give him a piece of candy.

Corporate Executive at the Door

Then another adult showed up at my door. I couldn't believe it. "Are you supposed to be the CEO of a corporation or something?" I wondered.

Smog in the City

"Yes," the man replied. "I work for the oil industry. I am one of the many responsible for all of the smog that you've choked on your entire life."
I frowned and was about to shut the door, but the CEO continued.

Hurricane

The CEO grinned, "Now we're responsible for terrible hurricanes and floods and droughts and wildfires. I just want to make sure that you know that no one can stop us because we own all of the politicians--they won't do anything to stop climate disruption. We own the whole political system."
"I think everybody knows that by now," I replied--and I didn't give him a piece of candy either.

Soldier

Then a boy dressed as a soldier showed up at the door. "Trick or treat!" he blurted out.
I laughed as I gave the boy a piece of candy. "You've got to respect a man wearing a uniform!"

War

The boy smiled proudly. "Yes, you have to respect the military, especially for making such great weapons and bombs. Just think, our president can drop nuclear bombs on any country at any time. We are so powerful now."
"But that could result in a nuclear winter that could destroy the entire planet," I muttered.
"But aren't you glad we spend so much money on the military? Happy Halloween!" the boy blurted out.
"But that's why we don't have the money for a half-decent health care system that can contain a pandemic, or for good schools that truly educate our children, or for effective social programs that provide people with the support that they desperately need," I mumbled as the boy ran off.

Gas Chamber

Suddenly a woman in uniform showed up at the door. She smiled, "We have determined that you are a member of the vermin class."
"That was fa-fa-fast," I stuttered.
"Oh, yes, our agency is very efficient," the woman replied. "We don't even need to examine your genes. Based on what you have presented in your blogs, you are obviously a radical leftist lunatic, and we have determined that you should be detained and then transported to a concentration camp. Pardon me, I mean an internment camp."
"Does it have a gas chamber?" I groaned.
"Of course," the woman in uniform assured me.

Demons at the Door

Suddenly three demons showed up at the door--the woman was no longer anywhere in sight. "We are the demons of autocracy, the demons of fascism, the demons of dictatorship and greed!" the three demons sang in unison. Then they giggled, "We are not here for candy. We are here to make you and your entire society insane."

Doctor at the Door

Suddenly a doctor appeared at the door. "If you are seeing demons, you should have your head examined," the doctor stated matter-of-factly.
"I just saw three demons at my door," I confessed sadly.
"Lucky for you, I can prescribe expensive and addictive drugs, but only if you give me $150.00 first," the doctor assured me. "Oh, and I will also refer you to a specialist. Here's his number. You can call that number and leave a message, but no one will ever return your call."

Member of the Liberal Class

I went inside to search for some money. When I returned a different adult was at the door. "Who are you supposed to be?" I queried.
"I am a proud member of the liberal class," the man declared. "I teach Elizabethan and Victorian literature and poetry and how to make state-of-the art videos. Unfortunately, I could lose my job if I were to speak truth to power or get involved politically in any way, so I can't do anything to end the threats of fascism and global warming and nuclear annihilation. That's up to people like you who have a lot less to lose. Time for you to organize the masses so that people in power fear you."
"But if we make the people in power afraid, won't they just take away more of our rights? Isn't that what they are doing even now as we speak?" I asked.
The proud member of the liberal class ignored me. "If you go a lot deeper into debt, you can learn some very cool stuff," he stated. "That's the American way, right? Go deep into debt to get ahead. You just need a little more education to get a good job. Then you will be able to deal with social and political problems more effectively."

Priest at the Door

I went back into the house to search for my checkbook. When I returned, a priest was standing at the door.
"We've read your blogs and have determined that you have presented heretical spiritual beliefs," the priest declared. "I'm afraid we might have to burn you at the stake, but first we must question you vigorously and then drag you into court. Most people unfortunately don't survive our modern Inquisition. If you give us three-quarters of your assets and a signed confession, we might not have to torture you and kill you, but you must retract all of your false beliefs in your confession."
I gazed at the pen in his hand. "Okay, let me see if I can find a piece of paper," I replied.

Skeleton at the Door

When I returned, I found a child in a skeleton's costume. Relieved that the trick-or-treater was just a boy in a costume, I gave the child a piece of candy. "Happy Halloween," I shouted as the child turned and ran away.

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

Oak Tree

celb24

00:00 / 03:26

HOLES: CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
FINDING A PATH

Path by River

As I was waking up from a dream one day, I stepped through a hole in the fabric of reality and heard a voice that simply stated, "Find a path to God."
I drove my car out to the foothills and decided to turn off onto a dirt road. I suddenly came upon a magnificent oak tree and parked the car. The oak tree seemed to emanate a peace beyond understanding, so I continued hiking deeper into the oak woodlands, and I soon found a path to a river.

Lupine and Poppies by River

Lupine and poppies were flourishing on both sides of the river. All of the flowers were part of the tranquility that was emanating throughout the woodlands.

Frog by River

Everywhere I looked, I found frogs on the rocks. Some were clinging face-down as though gazing in the water at themselves.

Newt by River

I occasionally found newts on my path. They seemed to ignore me completely, but some recoiled if I stepped too close to them.

Snake by River

Then I found a snake warming itself on a rock by the river. I felt blessed that I had found a place totally unmolested by humans.

Squirrel by River

As I continued hiking down the path, I found a squirrel on a rock by the river. The squirrel remained attentive but seemed totally unafraid of me.

Bluebird by River

Then I found a bluebird on a rock near the river. I inched forward to get a closer view, but the bird didn't fly until I was about three feet away.

Swallowtail Butterfly by River

As I continued on the path, I came upon a swallowtail butterfly in the flowers. The butterfly didn't seem afraid of me at all. I came within a few feet of it, but it still didn't flutter away. I did my best not to disturb the butterfly, and it didn't fly away the whole time I stood nearby.

Turkey by River

Then I discovered a turkey near the river. For a moment, I felt startled because the bird appeared to be a miniature dinosaur, but then I remembered that birds, according to some scientists, had evolved from the dinosaurs.

Wild Boar by River

I was even more surprised when I encountered a wild boar, which seemed just as surprised to see me. The boar gazed at me for a while and eventually bounded away.

Bobcat by River

As I continued on my path, I encountered a bobcat by the river. The bobcat simply turned and loped away. I suddenly felt a strong connection to the bobcat even though I had never felt any connection to cats before.

Goldfinches by River

When I encountered a flock of goldfinches by the river, I suddenly had the sense that each species in nature is part of a unique angelic oversoul--as though each individual in the species is a facet of one overarching consciousness.

Coyote

A few minutes later, I wasn't afraid when I encountered a coyote, which gazed at me a long time and finally slowly turned and loped away into the forest.

Western Tanager

I was overjoyed to find a Western tanager on a rock by the river. At that point I began to suspect that the angelic oversoul of each species is part of a larger oversoul, a spirit of place that is aware of all of the creatures in its domain.

Badger by River

I was surprised to see a badger next to the river. I had never encountered a badger before. The badger acted aggressively at first but paused before it attacked. It just gazed at me for a minute or two as though trying to figure out what kind of creature I am.

Lazuli Bunting

I then came upon a lazuli bunting, which has always been one of my favorite species of birds. It sang the whole time I was near it. I suddenly sensed that each creature and each oversoul were facets of one Universal Consciousness. Then I had the overwhelming sense that Universal Consciousness was seeing the world through me and all of the other creatures.

Bear by River

A bear suddenly lumbered across the path. I was startled and afraid, but the bear just continued on its way across the river.

Mountain Lion by River

As I continued on the trail, I had the strange feeling that I was being watched by a mountain lion. I unbuttoned the sheath of my buck-knife, and a minute later I encountered a mountain lion by the river. The mountain lion's tail flopped back and forth as it gazed at me. I slowly backed away and returned on the path back to my car, looking over my shoulder now and then.
I had found the right path.

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

The Fool with a Block of Marble

tree

00:00 / 05:34

HOLES: CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
IT COULD BE MAGIC

Self-Portrait

For some reason that I could not quite explain, I decided to become a sculptor. I bought a few blocks of marble and stared at them for several days trying to imagine what sculptures I might make from them.
When I started chiseling a self-portrait in stone, I discovered that I was a natural at sculpting, but when I finished, I wasn't happy because I felt that I had a greater purpose than merely sculpting my own image.

Moon Goddess

That night in a dream, I stepped through a hole in the fabric of reality and felt inspired to carve a statue of a goddess. I had experienced a powerful attraction to the moon for some time, but I wasn't sure why. Occasionally I had even felt like howling at the full moon. I first drew a picture of a beautiful Moon Goddess and imagined sculpting the image in stone. When I finished carving the statue, the Moon Goddess almost seemed to come alive.

Archangel Raphael

Something about the sculpture of the Moon Goddess inspired me to sculpt the four great Archangels of the Elements: Raphael, Michael, Gabriel, and Auriel, each of whom played a role in The Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram. After I carved Raphael, the statue also seemed to come alive in my imagination. When I was done carving all four Archangels, I placed the sculptures in my spiritual room: Raphael in the east, representing the element of Air; Michael in the south, representing the element of Fire; Gabriel in the west, representing the element of Water; and Auriel in the north, representing the element of Earth.

Magma

The next day, when I performed my ritual, something strange happened. As soon as I invoked the Archangel Raphael, in my mind I immediately dropped into the fires below the earth's surface. In my mind's eye, I perceived that the black, negative energy in my energy field was burning up in the magma. In the Tarot Realm, the holy man had warned me several times that I am an empath and that I take on the negative energy of people in varying degrees every day.
"You must purify your heart and mind regularly," the holy man had insisted. I suddenly realized then that The Archangel Raphael, the Healer of God, was helping me to cleanse the negativity in my aura as well as some of the negativity in the collective consciousness of humanity.
But it was more than that. In my vision during the ritual, my soul spiraled up from the magma and touched a golden, equal-armed cross, which released numerous smaller golden balanced crosses, which then slowly wrapped the earth with healing energy. The Earth Soul eventually transformed the negative energy in the magma into pure white light, which then connected with the light of the Archangel. Everything dissolved in that brilliance. The Archangel and the Earth Soul were helping each other in an act of sacred reciprocity. "I am the sacrifice," I thought to myself. The same process occurred with the other Archangels during the ritual as if the Archangels and the Earth Soul were capable of independent action and were working together both to purify me and to use my sacrificial act to benefit the earth and humanity. I realized later that the golden balanced cross symbolically represents the energy of the Sun. The Moon Goddess presented the vision of the golden balanced cross to my psychic vision. Then everything dissolved in light as I was rising from the Holy Spirit in the ninth Emanation of the Moon to the sixth Emanation of the Sun--which represents the Son of the trinity.

Libra

I knew that Raphael represents the element of Air, which includes the triplicity of Libra, Aquarius, and Gemini, so I carved Aphrodite to represent Libra.

Libra: Ruled by Venus

Since the planet Venus rules Libra, I also carved a statue of Venus. She seemed to come alive almost immediately. Sometimes a statue didn't seem to come alive right away but would come alive later as I was working on a particular issue or focusing on a particular zodiac sign or planet. I had experienced "The Marriage of Heaven and Earth," the mythological principle associated with Venus, more than I had experienced "The Justice of Heaven," the mythological principle associated with Libra--so I wasn't surprised.

The Star: Aquarius

My statue of Aquarius seemed to come alive immediately, which pleased me because Aquarius represents the mythological principle of "The Awakening of the Heart."

Gemini

My statue of Gemini didn't seem to come alive at all. I decided that I might need to focus more on the mortal and immortal aspects of my being.

Gemini: Ruled by Mercury

Strangely, though, my statue of Mercury, who rules Gemini, seemed to come alive in his imagination right away. Then I remembered that Venus, Mercury, and The Moon on the Tree of Life form the "Magical Triangle" that enables the subtle forces to "come down the planes" and take on a life of their own, an independent existence, in the Kingdom. Then I remembered that the concrete ideas of the Gods and Goddesses formed in the Emanation of Mercury can be brought down into the imagination--the Emanation of The Moon--through sacrifice. I smiled as I again muttered to myself, "I am the sacrifice."

Archangel Michael

The Archangel Michael did not come alive immediately in my imagination. I was afraid that the statue wasn't as good as some of his other ones. Perhaps I was a little intimidated by an Archangel whose name means "Like unto God," but I knew that the great Archangel would come alive in his imagination at some point in the near future.

Aries the Ram

I was more pleased by my statue of Aries the Ram. Aries represents the mythological principle of "The Monarch of the Golden Ages" (which I didn't fully understand at first), but at least I understood that the leaders who rule in the golden ages contain the power and potency of a ram.

Aries: Ruled by Mars

The planet Mars rules Aries. I always admired the courage and strength and discipline and power of Mars, so Mars came alive in my imagination almost immediately.

Leo the Lion

My statue of Leo turned out more ferocious than I had expected, but since the lion is the king of the beasts, I was secretly pleased by my statue.

Leo: Ruled by The Sun

I remembered that the mythological principle of Leo is "Meeting with the Other Self," so I carved a statue of a figure that has represented the higher self for two thousand years.

Sagittarius the Archer

Sagittarius the Archer aims his bow and arrow at The Sun towards the mystical path that represents the connection between the Moon and The Sun--the Emanation of the higher self. Sagittarius seemed to come alive even before I had completed the statue.

Sagittarius: Ruled by Jupiter

I remembered that the planet Jupiter rules Sagittarius, and together Jupiter, Mars, and The Sun on the Tree of Life form the "Ethical Triangle." When I gazed at my statues of Jupiter, Mars, and The Sun together, I felt hope. I suddenly knew that humanity was developing a type of moral intelligence that could enable the species to survive the worst crises.

Archangel Gabriel

I placed a golden chalice in the hand of my statue of Archangel Gabriel because I knew that the element of Water represents deep emotions, the deepest of which are as incorruptible as gold.

Cancer the Crab

My statue of Cancer the Crab seemed to start turning orange even as I was carving it. I recognized that the shell of the body encloses the spirit--and that the physical body must always be honored.

Scorpio the Scorpion

I was surprised by my statue of Scorpio. The scorpion seemed to be transforming into something else--a snake perhaps. Then I remembered that Scorpio represents powerful transformation, like the transformation from a scorpion to a snake to an eagle, in other words from creatures of the earth to a creature who can see from the perspective of eternity.

Pisces the Fish

I was also pleased by my statue of Pisces. I felt like I had captured the mingling of opposites, the light and dark aspects of experiences in the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual realms.

Archangel Auriel

By the time I was done carving the statue of Archangel Auriel, I felt a greater understanding of the background energies of the physical realm, and I knew the harmony and abundance within all of creation.

Capricorn the Goat

I struggled at first when I began carving Capricorn the Goat because Capricorn has sometimes been depicted as The Devil. But then I realized that physical existence is not evil--it is a crystallized form of spirit, much like crystalline ice when it forms from water.

Capricorn: Ruled by Saturn

The statue of Saturn was also a bit of a challenge because Saturn is sometimes associated with death, the grim reaper. But Saturn is also associated with the harvest and abundance. I realized that through the experience of form, we come to know the harmony, magnificence, and abundance of spirit even though each soul tabernacling in form faces suffering and death.

Taurus the Bull

I had fun carving Taurus the Bull because I could almost feel the great power and potency of the life forces. The path of Taurus on the Tree of Life connect us with the energies in the top three heavenly Supernal Emanations--on the other side of what is known as The Abyss.

Virgo: Demeter

I placed sheaths of wheat in the hands of Demeter, who represents Virgo. As I did so, I felt deep appreciation for the human ability to focus the mind and heart to create abundance, harmony, and magnificence in the physical world, and the statue immediately came alive.

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

The Fool: Air

vib24

00:00 / 04:08

HOLES: CHAPTER THIRTY
THE CHILD OF THE PRIMAL VOID

Primal Void

One night I dreamed that I was hiking in the mountains, and I stepped through a hole in the fabric of reality. Soon I began to experience divine madness.

Emerging from Water

I remembered one day emerging from water as a child.

By the River

And I remembered feeling one with the flowers as I sat next to a river.

Mess

I remembered how one day I made a mess while I ate breakfast. I realized then that things can get really messy.

Hiking through the Forest

One day when I was a child hiking on a trail through the forest, I thought I was alone, but my parents were close behind me. I realized how easy it was for other people to fool me.

Strolling through the Flowers

Then I remembered strolling through a field of lupine and poppies at sunset. I thought I was alone, but my grandfather was nearby. I realized that a person close to me was trying to help me become more independent.

Sock-Hop

Then I remembered learning how to dance at a sock-hop in middle school. I realized for the first time how much I liked girls.

Learning to Juggle

During that time, I tried for hours, alone in my room, to learn how to juggle. I realized how difficult it was to master a skill.

Juggling Pentacles

Eventually I learned how to dance and juggle pentacles in an infinity symbol at the same time. I realized that I could make it look easy to maintain that kind of balance.

Funeral

Then I remembered attending a funeral for a relative when I was a child. I felt devastated as I experienced my own mortality for the first time.

Fighting

I remembered a few of the times I had felt compelled to fight for what I believed in. Something deep inside me compelled me to uphold the truth and do what was right.

Juggling by the Sea

I remembered being totally alone and juggling pentacles in an infinity symbol by the sea at sunrise. I realized that it didn't really matter if other people were watching me--I could do what was right for me while at the same time maintaining balance in my life.

Chasing a Friend

I remembered chasing a young friend and unexpectedly making her upset. I realized that I could have a huge negative impact on other people--or, on the other hand, I could choose to have a huge positive impact on other people.

The Dance of Marriage

I remembered the dance of marriage, which lasted for many years. I discovered that I could maintain a harmonious, loving relationship with another person.

Abandoned

I remembered my wife abandoning me after I became terribly ill. I learned that not everything lasts forever, and I learned how to let go.

The Sun at his Crown

Then I remembered times when I had experienced my soul and the divine spark at the core of my being, and I understood then what would remain after everything passed away.

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2024 by Jim Robbins.

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