A Pentacle of People

So, this is a moment I had, a moment of a vision sent. The moment was the beginning only, the rest unraveled in the writing of it. A pentacle of people, 5 people in a circle, family? Friends? The distinction is unclear, sometimes family are friends and friends, family.

A pentacle of people

All reaching out to one another

As one person reaches to the other, that person reaches out to the other who then reaches to the other

Each one looking away from the one who is reaching out

Always reaching away

Each one wanting the one who wants

Another yearning

The subtle movement

The flickering of emotions in the twitch of an eye

The flush of steam on the cheek

Jaws and hands begin to clench

Gestures made

A distant bell dings

All eyes blink and look around

Brought right back to center

Eyes widen at the sight, so

Every other person turns around

Towards the one on the left

As a dance, a water ballet

Every other person reaches out with

A graceful sweep of the arm

To touch the hand

stretching towards them

Fists unfurl to open hands

New gestures given,

Gestures taken

Tears retract

in a circle of five

one is left alone

is it you?

Is it me?

I so lay shun

The bedroom walls close in

Laughter heard in the kitchen

The park expanse expanding

As they walk away

Blink and look around at

This strange dream escapade

A momentary glitch as

Our foot begins to spin when

One, dear heart, swears

and reaches out

No one moves away

No one blames the other

No one forgets

A Pentacle of People Ceremony:

(This is an actual idea for a ceremony as inspired by the creation of the poem above)

One person is MC and is joined by 4 friends

Draw a pentacle on the floor or ground as elaborate or simple as you would wish

This can be done before or with the group

The distance between the vertices should be about 5 feet

People start by standing on the points of the pentangle Nothing has to be said, but you might want to intone something like, “here we are standing on the points of the sacred dynamic pentacle. Each point touches a different dimension. Each line holds a force capable of channeling powerful emotional charge that will change your life if you so choose to let it into your heart. The sacred circle thusly binds us to acts of emotional creativity”

and then hold hands together

And then drop hands.

Each person turns to the right and reaches out towards the back of that person with longing

Everyone remembers some time they felt their love unrequited and stands in that feeling for a short while

At the right time, the MC explains, every other person turns around to their left and reaches to the person reaching towards them

The MC should be the person standing alone

The two other couples feel their connection and say whatever you are inspired to say as in, “I will never turn away from you if I am able”, or “you are a radical lesbian bitch, but you are wicked funny sometimes” or “I really can’t stand how you smell (or what you say) sometimes, but that doesn’t mean I won't sleep on your couch and eat your leftovers.” Anyway, the idea is for friends to connect; silly, irreverent or romantic. It does not have to be solemn unless that is what is desired

However, after a few moments everyone realizes the MC is alone

The MC steps into the center of the pentacle

And everyone tackles them.

With love. I don’t want to be responsible for anyone getting damaged here- group hug, a not covid safe hug (unless this is done with masks)

Then everyone goes back to their points

And all hold hands together

And the cycle starts again as each person gets to be the one ignored and then tackled with love

When everyone has had their turn, a little worse for wear, everyone says together, “we will kill each other or ourselves before a word of this sacred ceremony is spoken of.” And /or you can say something more romantic if you wish, such as, “by the power granted to me through this sacred dynamic pentacle touching all five dimensions, I declare that our friendships have strengthened fivefold.”

Party or part as you wish, my friend.

This can be modified to be done with 6 people by having one person in the center, to be joined by the “ignored” one and then after being tackled by love, and everyone retakes their points, the center chooses someone out of the circle by pulling them into the center, taking their place until each person has had their turn. I also suppose some version can be done with as little as two people. Hmm, I wonder how that would go. Interesting. Enjoy, if you do partake, it would be cool to hear about it.