Monthly Update #23 (November 2024)
Discussing the link between poetry and magic.
Welcome to the slightly late November update from Marty’s Magic Ruseletter. As this is the last update I’ll be sending before the big day, I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I hope Santa brings you everything you want! 🎅
During the Black Friday sales, I treated myself to an early Christmas present: Joshua Jay’s new book, The Particle System (I’ll be reviewing it in the new year). During Black Friday, I usually limit myself to purchasing one of the magic books already on my wishlist (I’ve been looking forward to learning Josh’s work on the memorised deck for a while now).
I don’t particularly enjoy this time of year because of the pressure put on us to buy stuff we don’t need (especially if you’re a parent to small children). My youngest daughter loves The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (I’m also a life-long Dr. Seuss fan). The message of that book often gets overlooked:
And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: “How could it be so?
“It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
“It came without packages, boxes or bags!”
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn't come from a store.
“Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more!”
Next year, I’m considering implementing a “No Spend November” to avoid the chaos of Black Friday. I receive countless emails from magic companies trying to lure me into spending money, and most of them get deleted before I even read them! It seems to me that the world could benefit from less rampant consumerism, especially if we want to take action against global warming. Unfortunately, I rarely see magic producers discussing their carbon footprint or environmental sustainability, which is concerning. This is a topic for a future blog post, methinks!
Well, that’s my annual grinchy-groan about the over-commercialisation of magic as a hobby! Now, onto the meat—or should I say roast beast?—of this update. The central theme for this newsletter is, amusingly enough, related to Dr. Seuss: The Magic of Poetry!
The Link Between Poetry and Magic
This month, I’ve spent most of my free time contemplating the connection between poetry and magic. It all began with an attempt to write a script in poetic rhyme for a bizarre magick version of the popular packet trick, “Color Monte”! My routine, called “Mark of the Beast”, involves the performer narrating a story about a game of three-card monte with a well-dressed gentleman, who is ultimately revealed to be the Devil in disguise!
I’m not the first person to have this idea; Scott Alexander performs a stand-up version of “Color Monte” with jumbo cards and a poetic script, but without the satanic overtones! (See the video below to watch a performance of “Stand Up Color Monte” by Scott Alexander.)
It took many drafts to refine the poem to a point where I felt confident it was good enough to perform publicly. I experimented with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support my creative writing. In particular, I used Claude.ai to help overcome writer’s block when I was struggling to rewrite a few verses containing lazy rhymes. While the potential of generative AI intrigues me, I firmly believe it should not be used as a substitute for human creativity. After all, the joy of writing poetry lies in the creative process itself, and I’m unwilling to outsource that to a faceless chatbot! (However, there is some evidence that many people prefer poetry written by AI).
After drafting the initial version of the poem, I engaged in several conversations with Claude, whose feedback proved invaluable in refining the work, helping me to push the boundaries of my limited poetic abilities. These interactions helped me move past creative obstacles and ultimately improve the poem. Here are the first three verses to wet your appetite:
At night, upon a darkened street,
A well-dressed stranger I did meet.
Three cards he drew out from his pack,
Two Jokers and a single Jack.“Care to win some precious gold?
A game,” he said, “from times of old.”
Greed betrayed my common sense;
My fateful game would now commence.The stranger, with his ghoulish grin,
Laid bare the rules for me to win:
“Locate the Jack to beat the game,
But find a Fool, a coin I’ll claim.”
After finishing the poem, I conducted a little research to find out if any other magicians incorporated poetry into their performances (in a meaningful manner). Surprisingly, I didn’t find many. Yes, a few magicians, like Scott Alexander, perform one or two tricks to rhyming verse. However, I could only find one magician who has made poetry a fundamental feature of his performances: Renz Novani. Renz, a creative Scots-Italian magician and playwright, put on a show a few years ago called “Poet of the Impossible”. In it, he artfully combined close-up magic and mentalism with poetry and storytelling. The show recieved very favourable reviews. Paul Levy, founder and editor of Fringe Review, said:
“Overall, this was an enjoyable and thoroughly satisfying way to end a month at the Fringe and I am happy to recommend this to anyone who wants to experience magic with a poetic flavour. It all felt a bit different, in the best possible way.”1
Here’s another glowing review of the show:
“Renz’s graceful magic combined with his spoken word performance gently reshape his audience’s perception of reality while keeping us grounded in the real world. While fans of both magic and poetry might get the most out of Poet of the Impossible, the elegance of his performance is enchanting to all.”2
And here’s another commentry on the show from Claire Wood of The Wee Review:
The conjuring is interspersed with a handful of Renz’s poems, apparently recited from a notebook, except they’re not. He’s a charismatic performer. Even with his nose in a book, the audience are attentive. He has an open, affable manner and that intangible “wish he was your friend” quality that the best performers seem to exude. He’s funny, appears entirely confident on the stage and entirely in control of a show that it’s very hard to imagine he actually can be.3
From this description, I assume the magic effects were not performed in conjunction with the poetry. Instead, I’m guessing Renz recited poetry from a notebook, which was revealed to be blank at the end of his performance. I could be wrong, though.
This exciting discovery reveals that magic and poetry are indeed good bedfellows. In fact, the combination can create a more profound sense of wonder and curiosity in an audience than tricks alone.
During my search for poetry-infused magic, I also stumbled upon a poet who uses magic and puppetry in his performances for children. His name is Nick Toczek, and he has already become a favourite of my six-year-old daughter, Elodie. While his poetry is primarily aimed at primary and secondary school-aged children, I have also found it enjoyable and have even performed some of his poems for my three daughters. Nick started adding magic tricks to his poetry peformances to add visual interest, as he explains below:
“If you’re working with children with special needs or low literacy or those who speak English as a second language, then visual elements really help. I started doing one magic trick and the kids asked for more. I can now do around 5,000 tricks.”4
Alternating between magic tricks and poetry works rather well. It provides some variety and prevents the performance from being wall-to-wall poetry, which some audiences might struggle with (you can watch a 30-minute performance from Nick at the bottom of this newsletter).
Here is a magic-themed example of Nick Toczek’s delightful poetry from his book Me and My Poems (Page 53):
Watching Merlin by Nick Toczek
Watch the world-famous wizard called Merlin.
Note the way his white whiskers are curling.
See the star-spangled cloak he’s unfurling.
Spot the rubies and mother-of-pearl in
That mysterious wand which he’s twirling.
Stand witness to the wizard called Merlin
Catch the mad mist around him that’s curling,
How his casting of spells sets it swirling,
But beware when it really starts whirling.
Fear the force of the curses he’s hurling.
Nick Toczek also writes poetry books for adults and material of a political nature. He’s a very interesting guy!
Since I’ve had children, I’ve become more interested in poetry, especially writers who lean into the performance of poetry, such as Michael Rosen, Roger McGough and John Cooper Clarke. Michael Rosen has an excellent blog on poetry and is very active on YouTube.
I have a strong belief that children’s poetry could be a more rewarding genre to study if you want to incorporate poetry into your magic. This is because it places a greater emphasis on rhythm and repetition, which are both crucial aspects of deceptive sleight of hand and effective misdirection. This discovery has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me, and I hope it does the same for you.
The Magical Power of Words
Of course, there is also an older connection between poetry and magic. Anita Seppilli (1902-1991), an Italian anthropologist, argued that poetry evolved out of magic and that the remnants of ancient rituals and magical thinking can be found in epic works, such as Homer’s Iliad. Seppilli thought that classical culture could be enriched by examining the connections between different cultures, borders, and disciplines.
In her influential work Poesia e magia (Poetry and Magic), she proposed that poetry is not just a form of art, but a medium closely related to prayer, mantra (sacred utterances) and other magical practices. This connection between poetry and prayer invites us to contemplate the deeper, spiritual aspects of poetry.5
She also thought that poetry and magic have shared origins and functions, which might be why they complement each other so well. Both poetry and magic are ritualistic in nature; they utilise specific forms, repetitions, and rhythms that create a sense of enchantment or astonishment. In many instances, they can both evoke strong emotional reactions, fostering a deep sense of connection and empathy with an audience.
Poetry, much like magic, taps into the deep-seated belief in the ability of words to bring about change or, in magical parlance, transformation. By describing poetry as magic, Seppilli highlighted the transformative and evocative nature of poetic language, suggesting that poetry and magic tap into deeper, perhaps universal, human experiences and beliefs. Deep stuff indeed! Of course, Anita Seppilli was discussing ceremonial or shamanistic magic, not theatrical conjuring. However, I think these ideas are still helpful to the modern mystery performer.
Poetry is Magic!
Poetry is also used in the Neopagan religion of Wicca. For example, the Wiccan Rede, a moral statement that serves as the foundation of the Wiccan religion and other witchcraft-based faiths, is part of a longer poem. Here are the first few lines of it:
Bide the Wiccan Laws we must
In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.Live and let live—
Fairly take and fairly give.Cast the Circle thrice about
To keep the evil spirits out.To bind the spell every time
Let the spell be spake in rhyme.Soft of eye and light of touch
Speak little, listen much.
In popular culture, spells are often recounted in rhyming verse, adding some much-needed dramatic flair to the magical acts. For example, in the popular 90s TV show Charmed, the three Halliwell sisters frequently recite short poems to perform magical acts. And in the world of DC Comics, Jason Blood, a former Knight of the Round Table, transforms himself into Etrigan the Demon by recounting the following poem (or some variation of it):
Change! Change! O’ form of man!
Free the prince forever damned!
Free the might from fleshy mire!
Boil the blood in the heart for fire!
Gone! Gone! O’ form of man!
Rise the demon Etrigan!
I’ve also found several poets describing poetry as a magical act. For example, Timothy Green insists that, “A poet’s job is to conjure a magical space, and then record it as a string of language, so that others may follow them there.”6 Likewise, Grant Clauser directly compared the role of the magician and poet:
In the same way that a magician needs to establish a trusting relationship with the audience in order for them to enjoy the show (and gasp with delight at the end), a poet should also form a trusting relationship with the reader. In a poem, you’re asking people to follow you into some unknown place, and for many people, poetry is an intimidating place. How do you get them to go along with your gestures and sleight of hand? Through trust, which leads to a relationship, and ends in communion—a sharing of the experience. In magic, that experience is usually (hopefully) delight and astonishment. In poetry it may also be those things, but it may also be shared sorrow, regret, nostalgia, and sometimes joy (there’s sadly not enough of the latter).7
Anyway, this is all fascinating stuff. I plan to return to this topic sometime in the new year. I’ll probably write a longer blog post on the subject. In the meantime, if you have any thoughts on the connection between poetry and magic, please post them in the comments section of Substack or email them to me.
Learn Mark of the Beast 👿
Reading time: 18 minutes
If you’d like to learn how to perform my devilishly delightful variation of “Color Monte”, you can do so now. If you’re already familiar with “Color Monte” and Marlo’s Quick 3-Way, the mechanics of the trick shouldn’t present too much of a challenge. The hardest part of the routine is probably memorising the poetic script!
In the next edition of Tricks, Tricks and More Tricks (for paying Ruseletter subscribers), I will share a collection of card tricks all inspired by the migratory legend “The Devil and the Card Players”. This will include “Swindle of Souls” and “High Card to Hell”, both of which I shared earlier this year, and “Mark of the Beast”. However, you’ll also learn “More Mark of the Beast”, “Beelzebet”, “Beelzebetter”, and a humourous packet trick called “The Devil is Dyslexic”, which is based on “Mo’ Monte” by Max Maven. I’m hoping to get the article completed by Christmas.
Mystery Arts Holiday Calendar 🗓
Jay Jennings, a part-time author and mind reader from Scottsdale, Arizona, has organised a “Mystery Arts Holiday Calendar”. If you sign up, you'll receive a daily email until Christmas Eve containing a code that grants you free access to an online magic resource or magic download. So far, we have enjoyed seven free tricks. Thanks, Jay!
To date, the offerings include:
Six minutes of killer comedy magic featuring a ring, a rope, and a pair of scissors by Matt Fore.
A seven-phase card routine by Bazz Fazackerley (Black Cat Magic).
A spooky Living and Dead Test presented by Jamie Salinas.
A clever mind-reading effect tailored for sightseeing enthusiasts by Jay Jennings.
A classic effect from the pages of The Jinx, completely revamped by Julien Losa.
A “Who Has the Coin?” effect by Nestor Dee.
A mystery involving a bowl and some balls from Ryan Pilling.
There are still seventeen days to go. I’ve also donated a gift to the advent calendar (ten articles from behind the Ruseletter paywall). Join now to recieve the daily access codes!
New Tenyo Items for 2025
The new Tenyo magic tricks for 2025 are out, and the lineup looks pretty strong this time around. “Crystal Pyramid” (T-165) may look like a child’s toy, but the effect is impressive. “Money Shock” (T-259) is a twist on the Pat Page classic “Easy Money”. And then there’s “Wondering” (T-311) and “Unbroken” (T-313), both with the potential to add depth to longer magic routines.
Three Videos Worth Watching
Finally, here are three videos that are worth watching. As the main topic of this update was poetry and magic, I thought I’d share three of my favourite poetry performances from three of my favourite poets!
Nick Toczek’s Poems and Magic!
Duration: 30 minutes
In this 30-minute show recorded during the peak of the pandemic in 2020, Nick Toczek showcases some of his signature magic tricks and poetry. This video has been watched multiple times in my household! Be sure to chant along with Nick!
Michael Rosen Performs His Poem Chocolate Cake
Duration: 8 minutes
Here’s a captivating performance of Michael Rosen’s well-known poem “Chocolate Cake”. My three daughters absolutely love this one.
Tomorrow Has Your Name on It Performed by Roger McGough
Duration: 3 minutes
One of my favorite poems is “Tomorrow Has Your Name on It” by Roger McGough. It was his poem “Icarus Allsorts” that sparked my interest in poetry when I was young.
That concludes another Ruseletter update. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🎄🥳
Yours Magically,
Marty
Paul Levy, “Poet of the Impossible,” Fringe Review, September 2, 2015, https://fringereview.co.uk/review/edinburgh-fringe/2015/poet-of-the-impossible/.
“Renz Novani: Poet of the Impossible,” World Magic Review, May 16, 2018, https://worldmagicreview.com/2018/05/16/renz-novani-poet-of-the-impossible/.
Claire Wood, “Renz: Poet of the Impossible,” The Wee Review, May 17, 2018, https://theweereview.com/review/renz-poet-of-the-impossible/.
“Writer Nick Toczek reflects as he is honoured by University of Bradford,” University of Bradford, December 11, 2023, https://www.bradford.ac.uk/news/archive/2023/writer-nick-toczek-reflects-as-he-is-honoured-by-university-of-bradford.php.
“Poetry & Magic / Poesia e magia,” Peotry & Magic, April 26, 2023, https://blogs.kent.ac.uk/poetryandmagic/2023/04/26/poetry-magic-poesia-e-magia/.
Timothy Green, “The Real Magic of Poetry,” Timothy Green, June 24, 2024, https://www.timothy-green.org/the-real-magic-of-poetry/.
Grant Clauser, “Poetry Magic for Humans,” Grant Clauser, December 22, 2019, https://uniambic.com/2019/12/22/poetry-magic-for-humans/.
I’m happy to see you writing poetry along with performing magic! It’s a beautiful combo and I look forward to see what you do with it!
I’m working on a three card Monte truck! Serendipity! ✨💖✨