Ekphrastic April, Day 12: "The Witchball"

"The Witchball" (1931) by Mary McCrossan [1865-1934].

home decorating

never one to take
unnecessary chances

she includes a
prayerful angel along
with the witchball


© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

Witchballs originally were glass floats used in fishing. A connection was made between witches who floated after being cast into a body of water and the fishing floats that did not sink. Later they were thought to protect a home from witches and other evil spirits, and subsequently morphed into decorating accents!