#018 - Halloween Nightmares and Liminal Spaces | Gothic Poetry Deep Dive

Welcome to the scariest and deepest episode yet of The Poetry Vessel Podcast! 🎃👻Your hosts, Nathan and Rachael Hassall, kick off the episode with a funny, spooky intro before diving into the serious side of the season. We celebrate Halloween by reacting to your submitted Halloween poems. We pull two amazing pieces of mythic and gothic poetry from our Mystery Box and use them as a springboard to explore the intense, psychological, and spiritual undercurrents of the season.Join us as we discuss the mysterious, soulful power of Duende and the uneasy feeling of being in the liminal space—the powerful "in-between" that connects us to ancient times. We delve into the terrifying reality of sleep paralysis and follow that thread into a deep-dive on Carl Jung's Shadow concept, examining the complicated historical dynamic between Carl Jung & Freud. For a dash of history, we trace the origins of Halloween from Samhain and revisit the dark past of the Salem Witch Trials.If you love poetry, deep history, and a touch of the macabre, this episode is your perfect Halloween treat. Hit play and join us as we explore the shadows!👉 JOIN OUR POETRY COMMUNITY: https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/signup🎃 SUBMIT YOUR POETRY:https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/submit🎁 MYSTERY BOX POETS SHEIKHA A:Find out more about Sheikha and her work at:⁠https://sheikha82.wordpress.com/⁠ DEFOREEST WRIGHT:Find out more about DeForeest Wright at @the_sunless_sea_poetry_show

📕RECOMMENDED READING: ALL Recommended Books — https://shorturl.at/SOYRP🎯 FOLLOW FOR MORE:👉 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nathanhassall📸 Nathan's Instagram: / nathanhassallpoetry 🌀 The Poetry Vessel Instagram: / thepoetryvessel 📧 Business inquiries: [email protected]🎥 THE FILM GEAR WE USE: https://shorturl.at/j9MTW🙏 ONLINE TIP JAR: https://www.nathanhassall.com/support... TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Cold open: giggles, nerves & trickster energy0:53 - Welcome to The Poetry Vessel (what this show is)1:35 - Halloween special — is this podcast haunted?3:03 - The “trickster function”: why trying to be serious makes you laugh3:36 - What is Halloween? Samhain origins (Ireland/Scotland → US)4:26 - American Halloween memories & meaning5:27 - Playing with darkness: life–death convergence & why it’s cathartic9:05 - Lorca’s duende video shout-out10:06 - What is duende? Darkness vs evil + the Jungian shadow17:02 - How the show works + how to submit your poems (Mystery Box)19:45 - Poem reading: “Saturn, the Gardener” — Sheikha A.22:21 - Discussion: Saturn, Cerberus & blending myth with the modern36:17 - A line from Louise Glück, then Jung & Freud’s “occult” story43:20 - Poem reading: “Alukah” — DeForeest Wright54:51 - Sleep paralysis & the Night Hag → Salem, “more weight,” and closing wishes—FTC DISCLAIMER:Some of the links above may be affiliate links, which means that if you click on them I may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The commission is paid by the retailers, at no cost to you, and this helps to support our channel and keep our videos free. Thank you!PODCAST DISCLAIMER:The views, opinions, discussions, and statements expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and are intended to represent their personal opinions and perspectives. All photos and images have been included with the permission of the guest and anonymous clients. This podcast is an opinion-driven program, and all statements and discussions are made with the understanding that they are subjective and may not reflect objective facts or truths. Listener discretion is advised. The Poetry Vessel is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information presented and disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance on any information presented in this podcast.