"Happy Halloween for all who believe, and much love to all who don't": Black Sabbath's Bill Ward shares the eerie new poem, It's Near

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By ( Metal Hammer ) published

Former Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward unveils his latest original poem, It's Near, in time for Halloween

Bill Ward of Black Sabbath
(Image credit: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)

Bill Ward has shared a new original poem, titled It's Near.

Over recent years, the founding Black Sabbath drummer has unveiled much of his poetry, and has often shared writing around Halloween in celebration of the season. He has also previously written about the coronavirus pandemic and other seasonal holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The poem reads:

"If it’s going to take 
An eerie wind a whistling wind 
Let someone bring the wind 
If a full and yellowish moon is needed 
Bring the moon, 
Thunderclaps and lightning strikes too 
Promise now you’ll be there on the night 
With howling dogs and ghostly wails thru and thru, Aged and now for me some 76 years, 
Stillness and the ghosts in the kitchen 
Shaking the oaken drawers makes my back start itching Who’s this now, an arrogant fellow, 
Can’t stop talking, is he St. Vitus Dance, 
No no, 
Weary mice, seen Cinderella, 
Falling over red crabs, and toffee apples 
Marching and singing children’s songs 
Give a dog a treat, 
Give the cat a trick, 
The pretty nurses, at the old castle 
Carry dim lanterns, and a line forms 
All the way to the sound of ripples from the river, 
A mirage, forgotten pyramids 
Safe here and bound by historic chants and laughter from a hundred years ago, We all deserve laughter, 
We all deserve providence to alight itself, with joy, 
Nothing at all that is prickly prickly I’ll measure 
Will prosper, especially on this, 
The simplest of nights 
Apples bobbing, and the hand on the door, which never opens. Halloween dearest dark with laughter bright 
Clicking new shoes, at the Banquet of Queens. Silly sad faces, 
Sleepy children, 
It’s going to take an eerie wind, 
I think we’ll manage that spake The very tall happy person, 
Yes we can do that xo."

Ward signs off the poem with the declaration: "Happy Halloween for all who believe xo And much love to all who don’t, Bill Ward"

Earlier this year, Ward revealed that he would be interested in playing one final reunion show with Black Sabbath.

While he declined the offer to be part of the heavy metal band's reunion tour in 2012 due to an alleged "unreasonable contract", in July, the drummer declared via X that he would be up for "playing some of everyone’s old favourites", adding: "Loved playing them then, I’d love to play them one last time.

“I’m not going to talk about my health publicly except to say, everyday I’m pretty good for 76 years old, I’m active musically every day, and I have a very busy and gratifying life. Love you all, all the fucking time.”

Liz Scarlett
Liz Scarlett
Content Editor

Liz manages Louder's social media channels and works on keeping the sites up to date with the latest news from the world of rock and metal. Prior to joining Louder as a full time staff writer, she completed a Diploma with the National Council for the Training of Journalists and received a First Class Honours Degree in Popular Music Journalism. She enjoys writing about anything from neo-glam rock to stoner, doom and progressive metal, and loves celebrating women in music.