"The stillness of October gold Went out like beauty from a face." - E. A. Robinson

“There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October”

 Nathaniel Hawthorne 

“There is something in October sets the gypsy blood astir, We must rise and follow her; When from every hill of flame, She calls and calls each vagabond by name”

 William Bliss Carman 

“All things on earth point home in old October; sailors to sea, travelers to walls and fences, hunters to field and hollow and the long voice of the hounds, the lover to the love he has forsaken”

 Thomas Wolfe

"Well, it's a marvelous night for a Moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes
A fantabulous night to make romance
'Neath the cover of October skies."
Van Morrison

"October, the tenth month of the current Gregorian calendar and the second month of Autumn’s rule, derives its name from octo, the Latin word meaning “eight,” as October was the eighth month of the old Roman calendar.  The traditional birthstone amulets of October are opal, rose sapphire, and tourmaline; and the calendula is the month’s traditional flower.  October is shared by the astrological signs of Libra the Scales (or Balance) and Scorpio the Scorpion, and is sacred to the following Pagan deities: Cernunnos, Hecate, the Morrigan, Osiris, and the Wiccan Goddess in Her dark aspect as the Crone.  During the month of October, the Great Solar Wheel of the Year is turned to Halloween (Samhain Eve), one of the four Grand Sabbats celebrated each year by Wiccans and modern Witches throughout the world."
-  Secrets of a Witch  

 And now we come to:

When witches go riding,
and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
‘tis near Halloween!
           

                                   

 A gypsy fire is on the hearth,
Sign of the carnival of mirth;
Through the dun fields and from the glade
Flash merry folk in masquerade,
For this is Hallowe'en!

 I love the idea of Halloween now. I love its mystery and the willingness to acknowledge the reality of the unseen that seems to take hold of people. I especially love the great pleasure of dressing in any way that strikes my fancy . . the more bizarre the better! An opportunity for one night to play 'pretend' again! When I was a child, however, it terrified me! Everyone felt free to be out of control and that was deeply frightening to me! The normal rules of behavior no longer held sway. The night was filled with chaos and fear. Behind every shadow was someone waiting to inflict God knows what horrible-ness upon you!

"On Hallowe'en the thing you must do
Is pretend that nothing can frighten you
And if somethin' scares you and you want to run
Just let on like it's Hallowe'en fun."
~Author Unknown

                                                                         

"'Tis the night - the night
Of the grave's delight,
And the warlocks are at their play;
Ye think that without
The wild winds shout,
But no, it is they - it is they."
~Arthur Cleveland Coxe

"Perhaps the most famous icon of the holiday is the jack-o-lantern.  Various authorities attribute it to either Scottish or Irish origin.  However, it seems clear that it was used as a lantern by people who traveled the road this night, the scary face to frighten away spirits or faeries who might otherwise lead one astray.  Set on porches and in windows, they cast the same spell of protection over the household.  (The American pumpkin seems to have forever superseded the European gourd as the jack-o-lantern of choice.)  Bobbing for apples may well represent the remnants of a Pagan 'baptism' rite called a 'seining', according to some writers.  The water-filled tub is a latter-day Cauldron of Regeneration, into which the novice's head is immersed.  The fact that the participant in this folk game was usually blindfolded with hands tied behind the back also puts one in mind of a traditional Craft initiation ceremony."
-   Mike Nichols, All Hallow's Eve

 And finally, sadly . . .

"Proof of our society's decline is that Halloween has become a broad daylight event for many."  ~Robert Kirby

Still . . .  

"I have been younger in October
than in all the months of spring."

  W. S. Merwin,  The Love of October

"The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry's cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I'll put a trinket on."
-   Emily Dickinson  

 

"O suns and skies and clouds of June,

And flowers of June together,

Ye cannot rival for one hour
October's bright blue weather."

 And, in closing, a word to the wise!

“October. This is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate in stocks in. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August, and February.”

 Mark Twain