#witchesbelike

#witchesbelike - A Poetry Film

by C. Moss Collective

Moritz V:3rës & Kate MacAlister

“To be a witch is to know words. To be a witch is to know, in your bones (your tired bones), where the word witch might come from. Birth stories, origin myths, are wandering and plural, partial, but yours.” 

-So Mayer

#witchesbelike ... burning the patriarchy to the ground #witchesbelike aiding and abetting abortions #witchesbelike volunteering at the RSPCA after a nightshift #witchesbelike ... writing poems. 

Poems that tell the stories of reproductive justice for womxn’s and queer bodies, the stories of how to save the earth and each other - how to hold hands with other witches in the brutal headlights of a patriarchal, violent world.

In #witchesbelike, we attempt to reclaim the term ‘witch’, a word that has been shapeshifting from its very origin. It indicates admiration, a fairytale, a costume or a death sentence - even today. (Federici, 2018) 

In #witchesbelike, witches see and heal the cracks in our broken world full of broken people and trauma-scarred bodies by building communities of resistance while offering kindness and solidarity.

In crafting #witchesbelike, our creative journey has been guided by a diverse array of influences: From Instagram horoscopes and tarot readings to folkloric witches like Baba Yaga and Circe, who defiantly challenge conventional gender roles. Also powerful womxn, goddesses from mythology such as Persephone and the midwife goddess Eileithya, have significantly imprinted upon our first visual poem. These womxn serve as symbols of resistance against sexist violence and oppression.

Their stories, interwoven with my archival material(Kate), including diary entries from my obstetric training during the pandemic, inspired these works - compelling me to explore the transformative potential inherent in the narratives of womxn. All bound together in the hunting for the right light and fire by Moritz V:3rs.

“Poetry isn't a revolutionary practice; poetry provides a way to inhabit revolutionary practice to ground ourselves in relations to ourselves and each other [...] 

- Andrea Abi Karam & Kay Gabriel 

The film is set deep within an ancient forest - the home of fairy tale witches. The colour palette deliberately emphasizes vibrant greens and shadows not crushed to black but keeping a naturalistic tone reflecting the close connection of womxn and the earth. As womxn are the most vulnerable to the catastrophic consequences of the climate catastrophe, yet also the most active in fighting it we felt strongly about incorporating this in our work. 

Each scene begins with striking a match in honour of each story - lighting a fire, a first step towards liberation within. The scenes are lit naturally against backlight, demystifying the witch and placing her among us. A force against the patriarchal norms to be reckoned with. By utilizing circular/half-circular motions, the movement of the camera reflects the cycl of the moon which is heavily featured within the poems of #witchesbelike, uncovering not only the connection to the natural world yet also a womxn empowered within her body.

We intend to break the silence shrouding the blood of womxn: be it the violence that 1 in 3 womxn experience, menstrual blood or abortions as part of healthcare and reproductive justice.

Poetry Films defy the traditional framework of academic and literary convention. They make poetry accessible to a broad audience and facilitate a highly collaborative process that can be easily shared, engaged with and recreated. Visual Poetry may serve particularly as an inspiration for social justice, giving an approachable and artistic way to engage with complex political matters and the emotions that come with living in a world entrapped by violence & oppression while slowly dying. Telling our stories is the first act of connection, the first spark of rebellion.

The project is part of the subthemes Climate Crisis and Poetry and Literature as a tool for social equality.