I do not recall where I learned this, but I had read once that Stan Rice had written this poem for the book Lasher. If this is so, then this is a superb example of his prowess as a poet. It is a darkly beautiful poem about real people in real chaos. See www.stanrice.com to visit Stan Rice's site. As it is stated there, if you have any of his work, his family is searching for it. Please contact them if you can be of any assistance.

Despite a witch's inability to control the future, this poem demonstrates that, with the power to see, it is possible to see signs of it. Those signs will not tell you in exact detail what you must do when the hour arrives, but you will have some knowledge that the hour was coming. Evelyn was clearly strong enough to envision such a poem and to recite it to the one person determined to remain after death to continue to fight Lasher and stop him from achieving his diabolical goal.

Even in our most mundane, trouble-toiled lives, there is still that connection to the spiritual and ethereal that does not necessarily transport us, but informs us and broadens our understanding of our world. Poetry conveys a great deal of ideas and emotions in a short amount of well-chosen words and expressions and makes us ponder the true state of our existence. Poetry makes us think. It sharpens our minds, broadens our outlooks and enriches our spirits.

This simple yet eloquent poem sums up the story of the Mayfair Witches and advises Michael as to what he must consider if he is to defeat Lasher. Again, it provokes Michael's thoughts, even if it does not spell out exactly how the end is to come. It is intended as a help if not a set of explicit instructions. Poetry never worked that way.

Michael understands. Michael knows, somewhere in his mind, what must be done. However, he knows not how the circumstances will be set up or how exactly he will do what he must do.