Mystical Places

By dim, mauve and dream-white bushes of lilac I pass to the cypress alley, and to the water which lies breathless in the moonshine. A fish leaps, a momentary flame of fire. Then all is still again on the moonlit water, where, breathless, it lies beyond the cypress alley. In the vague moonshine of the cypress alley I pass again, a silent shadow, by the dim, mauve and dream-white bushes of lilac.

Fiona Macleod

"In olde days of the King Artour,

Of which the Bretons speken gret honour,

All was this lond fulfilled of faerie;

The elf-quene, with hire joly compagnie,

Danced ful oft in many a grene mede.

This was the old opinion as I rede;

I speke of many hundred yeres ago;

But now can no man see non elves mo,

For now the grete charitee and prayers

Of limitoures and othere freres,

That serchen every land, and every streme,

As thickke as motes in the sunnebeme,

Blissing halles, chambres, kichenes, and boures,

Citees and burghes, castles highe and toures,

Thropes and bernes, shepenes and dairies,

This maketh that ther ben no faeries."

Chaucer

We shall see if the entire thing remains of if Imeems cuts it to 30 seconds. I own the CD so I am getting a bit frustrated trying to post music I have uploaded on Imeems. This is one of my favorite pieces and my mind wanders elsewhere when I listen.

A friendly mountain I know;
As I lie on the green slope there
It sets my heart in a glow
And closes the door on care.

A thought I try to frame—
I was with you long ago;
My soul from your heart out-came;
Mountain, is that not so?

Take me again, dear hills,
Open the door to me
Where the magic murmur thrills
The halls I do not see,

Thy halls and caverns deep;
Though sometimes I may dare
Down the twilight stairs of sleep
To meet the kingly there.

Sometimes on flaming wings
I sit upon a throne
And watch how the great star swings
Along the sapphire zone.

It has wings of its own for flight,
Diamond its pinions strong,
Glories of opal and white,
I watch the whole night long.

Until I needs must lay
My royal robes aside
To toil in a world of grey,
Grey shadows by my side.

And when I ponder it o'er
Grey memories only bide,
But their fading lips tell more
Than all the world beside.

George William Russell

The splendor falls on castle walls
And snowy summits old in story;
The long light shakes across the lakes,
And the wild cataract leaps in glory.
Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying
Blow, bugle; answers, echoes, dying, dying, dying.

O hark, O hear! how thin and clear,
And thinner, clearer, farther going!
O sweet and far from cliff and scar
The horns of Elfland faintly blowing!
Blow, let us hear the purple glens replying;
Blow, bugle; answer, echoes, dying, dying, dying.

O love, they die in yon rich sky,
They faint on hill or field or river;
Our echoes roll from soul to soul,
And grow forever and forever.
Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying,
And answer, echoes, answer, dying, dying,dying

Tennyson

This is the state bird of Minnesota and a bird whose history is filled with folklore. We can often hear them calling in the evening and they are really quite lovely to see. There is nothing more mystical than their call at twilight. Here is a video that highlights their call.

Minnesota's state bird, the common loon, is more at home in the water than on land. Built like a torpedo, it swims under water in search of prey. Minnesota has more common loons than any other state except Alaska.
Identification

General description: Larger than a mallard but smaller than a goose, this water bird has a thick neck and a long, black bill. Its legs are set far back on its body, so it has an awkward gait on land. The male is slightly larger than the female, but otherwise the two sexes look identical.

Weight: Adult loons weigh 8 to 12 pounds.

Color: The common loon has a black bill and a red eye. In summer it is a spotty black and white with a black/iridescent green head. In fall a "winter coat" that's gray above and white below replaces its summer plumage.

Sounds: The common loon has four calls. The tremolo, which sounds a bit like maniacal laughter, is an aggressive call. The wail is a long, drawn-out sound. The hoot, a shorter call, is used to communicate among parents and young. The yodel is sounded by male loons guarding their territory.

Predators

Adult loons rarely are eaten by other animals (except bald eagles), but their young can fall prey to skunks, raccoons, foxes, snapping turtles, northern pike, and muskies.
Habitat and range

Loons are found on lakes throughout central and northeastern Minnesota. In September, Minnesota's adult loons travel to their winter home along the Atlantic coast from North Carolina south to Florida, or on the Gulf of Mexico. Younger loons follow a month or so later.
Population and management

Minnesota has more loons (roughly 12,000) than any other state except Alaska. Threats to loons include human disturbance and pollutants such as lead and mercury. The DNR monitors loon populations with the help of volunteers to improve understanding of what our state bird needs to maintain a strong, healthy presence here.
Fun facts

Loons' lives are filled with fun facts. For example:

* The bones of most birds are hollow and light, but loons have solid bones.
* The extra weight helps them dive as deep as 250 feet to search for food. They can stay underwater for up to five minutes.
* Because their bodies are heavy relative to their wing size, loons need a 100- to 600-foot "runway" in order to take off from a lake.
* Loons can fly more than 75 miles per hour.
* The red in the loon's eye helps it to see under water.
* Scientists think loons can live for 30 years or more

"The loon was so tame, yet clumsy, that it annoyed all the villagers as it ran in and out of the wigwams, knocking over belongings and spilling food and drink. The Micmacs could finally stand it no longer, caught Loon, and threatened to throw him into the water. Thinking quickly, Loon begged them not to throw him into the water, but to throw him in the fire instead. The Indians, thinking they could finally get even, were sure to throw him into the water. When he was safely away from the village he called back to them with his wonderful laugh, saying, 'Just what I wanted, just what I wanted.' And that is how the Loon Became a Water Bird."

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/loon/Legends.html
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snapshots/birds/commonloon.html

Darn it all if I didn't post this in the wrong blog. That's what happens when you are distracted. Sorry the comments got deleted with it. Old Nick likes to make love in the moonlight, sounds like a good thing and Jackiblogg talked about the moon in South Africa? being strange. I'm going to go check that out now.

I found this while browsing for some things on the new moon. I do not know where these things came from or what brought about such thoughts. Personally I'd sleep in the moonlight anytime and love it when it shines through my window.

# It is lucky to see the first sliver of a new Moon "clear of the brush," or unencumbered by foliage.

# It is lucky to own a rabbit's foot, especially if the rabbit was killed in a cemetery by a cross-eyed person at the dark of the Moon.

# It is lucky to hold a moonstone in your mouth at the full Moon; it will reveal the future.

# It is lucky to have a full Moon on the "Moon day" (Monday).

# It is lucky to expose your newborn to the waxing Moon. It will give the baby strength.

# It is lucky to move into a new house during the new Moon; prosperity will increase as the Moon waxes.

# It is unlucky to see the first sliver of a new Moon through a window; you'll break a dish.

# It is unlucky to point at the new Moon or view any Moon over your shoulder.

# It is unlucky to sleep in the moonlight, or worse, be born in the moonlight.

# It is unlucky to see "the old Moon in the arms of the new" or the faint image of the full disk while the new crescent Moon is illuminated, especially if you're a sailor. Storms are predicted.

# It is unlucky to have a full Moon on Sunday. (Some say Saturday ... )

http://www.almanac.com/astronomy/moonpage/moon-lucky-unlucky

The new moon, of no importance
lingers behind as the yellow sun glares
and is gone beyond the sea's edge;
earth smokes blue;
the new moon, in cool height above the blushes,
brings a fresh fragrance of heaven to our senses.

By D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930)

This common, large songbird is familiar to many people, with its perky crest; blue, white, and black plumage; and noisy calls. Blue Jays are known for their intelligence and complex social systems with tight family bonds. Their fondness for acorns is credited with helping spread oak trees after the last glacial period.

Large crested songbird with broad, rounded tail. Blue Jays are smaller than crows, larger than robins.

White or light gray underneath, various shades of blue, black, and white above.

Blue Jays make a large variety of calls that carry long distances. Most calls produced while the jay is perched within a tree. Usually flies across open areas silently, especially during migration. Stuffs food items in throat pouch to cache elsewhere; when eating, holds a seed or nut in feet and pecks it open.

Blue Jays are birds of forest edges. A favorite food is acorns, and they are often found near oaks, in forests, woodlots, towns, cities, parks.

Blue Jays are most often detected by their noisy calls. Near shorelines they migrate in loose flocks; you can recognize them by their steady flight, rounded wings, long tail, and white underside. Resident birds may associate in flocks; they usually fly across open areas one at a time, often silently. Also watch for them at feeders.

********************
Blue jays are birds whose superficial beauty hides a less than perfect nature. Blue Jay once had a voice as beautiful as his plumage and was much in demand as a singer. However, he became so arrogant that Earthmaker decided to punish him: one day Blue Jay began to sing, but his voice came out as rough as his inner nature, and that's the way it has been ever since.

The original deceptive appearance of the blue jay also expressed itself in other ways. When Wagíšega fasted to receive a blessing from Earthmaker, he received all sorts of promises from a brilliant blue spirit who said he was Earthmaker. This deceiving spirit turned out to be a blue jay.

Jejejiniga, Blue Jay, once teamed up with Trickster, Little Fox, and Nit to fool villagers into taking them in for the winter. Trickster made himself into a woman and married the chief's son. However, his companions first impregnated him, so that he gave birth to three children. The second of these was Blue Jay's. In the end, Trickster's artificial vulva fell off, exposing their scheme, so that they all had to flee.

The name of the blue jay, jejejiniga, seems to be derived from jek, "to be lively, mischievous."

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue_jay/id
http://hotcakencyclopedia.com/ho.BlueJay.html

Most willow species grow and thrive close to water or in damp places, and this theme is reflected in the legends and magic associated with these trees. The moon too recurs as a theme, the movement of water being intimately bound up with and affected by the moon. For example, Hecate the powerful Greek goddess of the moon and of willow, also taught sorcery and witchcraft, and was 'a mighty and formidable divinity of the Underworld'. Helice was also associated with water, and her priestesses used willow in their water magic and witchcraft. The willow muse, called Heliconian after Helice, was sacred to poets, and the Greek poet Orpheus carried willow branches on his adventures in the Underworld. He was also given a lyre by Apollo, and it is interesting to note that the sound boxes of harps used to be carved from solid willow wood.

Willow's ability to quickly regrow from coppiced or pollarded trees, growing several feet in one season, or the ease with which a new tree can be grown merely by pushing a healthy branch cutting into the soil (even upside down!), has come to symbolise renewal, growth, vitality and immortality in other parts of the world such as China.

In Britain the more recent, 'Christianised' use of willow to symbolise grief probably originated with Psalm 137:

'By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept
when we remembered Zion.
There on the willow-trees
we hung up our harps.'

(Biblical scholars point out that these 'willow-trees' were probably Euphrates poplar (Populus euphratica) and not the weeping willows (Salix babylonica) which originated in China.) During the 16th and 17th centuries the association became particular to grief suffered by forsaken lovers, who also adopted the custom of wearing a cap or crown made of willow twigs and leaves. By the nineteenth century illustrations of weeping willows were commonly used as ornaments on gravestones and mourning cards. Willow boughs were also used to decorate churches in Britain on Palm Sunday instead of largely unavailable palm leaves.

Country folk have been familiar with the healing properties of willow for a long time. They made an infusion from the bitter bark as a remedy for colds and fevers, and to treat inflammatory conditions such as rheumatism. Young willow twigs were also chewed to relieve pain. In the early nineteenth century modern science isolated the active ingredient responsible, salicylic acid, which was also found in the meadowsweet plant. From this the world's first synthetic drug, acetylasylic acid, was developed and marketed as Aspirin, named after the old botanical name for meadowsweet, Spirea ulmaria.

The Gaelic words for willow are shellach, or suil, and feature in Scottish place names such as Achnashellach in Ross-shire, Glensuileag in Inverness-shire and Corrieshalloch on Speyside. These names would have referred to both the presence of willow and the attendant industries utilising the willow's gifts.

Uses for willow wood included house building, coracle frames, and charcoal manufacture. Willow's ability to absorb shock without splintering is still utilised in the making of cricket bats and stumps (note also the similarity between 'wicket' and 'wicker'), and the Dutch traditionally make their clogs from willow wood. The wood is good for turning and Celts made their chariot wheel spokes, and Gypsies their clothes pegs, from it. The bark was used to make a reddish-brown dye, for tanning leather and as fodder for livestock.

But wicker-work is what willow is probably most famous for, using the smaller osiers and coppiced or pollarded willow. Before the advent of plastics, willow was widely used to make a variety of containers, from general basketry to specialised applications such as lobster pots and bee hives. A 6th century basket discovered by archaeologists on Shetland, and apparently made of willow, used the same weaving techniques as those still practiced in Scotland.

Today the weaving of willow is enjoying a resurgence, and is being applied to novel situations such as landscape sculptures, outdoor seating and children's play huts. All of these are being made from live cuttings, grown in situ, to be woven and sculpted into living structures, bringing together willow's vitality and utility to enhance new, often urban, settings.
http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/forest/mythfolk/willow.html

The Great Horned Owl is the largest North American owl. This bird's "horns" aren't horns at all—they are tufts of feathers. The Great Horned Owl has several nicknames, including "night tiger" and "flying bobcat."

This owl is about 56 cm (22 in) long and weighs approximately 1-2.5 kg (2-5 lbs). It has yellow eyes in a large head, a short tail, and thick, mottled brown, rust, and white plumage. The wings are long and fringed. Owls, including the Great Horned Owl, have special feathers that allow them to fly silently.

Great Horned Owls are found throughout most of North and South America. They are very adaptable, and will live in forests, deserts, prairies, farmland, and low mountain areas. They can even be found in metropolitan and suburban areas.

Hunting primarily at night, the Great Horned Owl's diet consists of rodents and other small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects and occasionally fish. The Great Horned Owl is one of the only animals that will hunt a skunk.

The breeding season is in spring and early summer. The female owl will lay from 1 to 5 round eggs. The parents will to take care for the owlets for 4 months or more.

An owl's thick feathers help it stay warm in the winter, so it is usually a year-round resident. Great Horned Owls that live in desert areas and snowy areas have paler plumage than those found in forested regions.

This owl is about 56 cm (22 in) long and weighs approximately 1-2.5 kg (2-5 lbs). It has an upright body with a short tail, large head, and thick, mottled brown, rust and white plumage. The wings are long and fringed, and like all owls, there are sound-deadening filaments at the tips of the flight feathers. This allows the Great Horned Owl to fly silently.

Most food is eaten whole, or in large pieces. Once the owl has processed the digestible parts it will regurgitate a pellet of fur, bones, and teeth. Using these pellets, scientists can learn more about what Great Horned Owls eat.

Most owls don't hoot at all - but the Great Horned Owl sure does! The unmistakable sound is usually two to three WHOOO WHOOO sounds - very low in pitch, and carrying a very long distance.

The breeding season is in spring and early summer. The female owl will lay from 1 to 5 round eggs in a nest abandoned by some other animal or, rarely, on the ground. The eggs hatch after 26-35 days. By the time the young owlets are 9-10 weeks old they have grown enough feathers to begin learning how to fly, but their parents will continue to take care of them for another 2 months or more.

Throughout history people have told stories about the natural world around
them. Worldwide, owls have been linked to unnatural forces, evil, and death.
Ancient Babylonians believed that the hoot of an owl at night came to represent
the cries of a woman who died during childbirth. In Hungary, the owl was referred to as the bird
of death. Owls were official symbols of death for ancient Egyptians. The hieroglyphic for the owl
also symbolized darkness, cold, and a state of passivity.
Ancient Romans considered the sight of an owl an extremely unlucky
omen. According to legend, the only way to negate the effects of this
omen was to catch the owl, burn it, and then scatter its ashes in the
Tiber River. It has been said that before Julius Caesar was murdered,
owls were heard making their mournful cries.
Not all societies and cultures considered owls evil. Buddhists have long
thought the owl to be an enemy of ignorance and stupidity. In Athens,
owls represented a force of mystery, but one associated with good. The
owl was the symbol of the Greek goddess Athena, goddess of night,
war, wisdom, and learning.
In many ancient cultures,
owning or carrying a piece of an
owl was thought to provide
special protection from evil spirits and health
problems such as epilepsy and rabies. Other ancient
cultures believed that owl charms gave energy,
wisdom, and bravery. Different cultures used
different parts of owls in their charms, including the
feet, feathers, eyes, heart, bones, or even the entire
owl.
There are many natural areas named after owls in
the United States. Lakes, rivers, bays, swamps, and
mountain ranges contain "owl" in their names. There
are at least 2 towns in the United States named
"Owl," one is in Arizona and the other is in California.
You can also visit Owls Head, Maine, and Owlsville,
New York.

http://www.sjcparks.org/pdffiles/Pre_Visit_Packets/owls.pdf

http://www.iwrc-online.org/kids/Facts/Birds/ghow2.htm

“Moon, for what do you wait?”

“To salute the sun, for whom I must make way.”

Night’s darkness is a bag that bursts with the gold of the dawn.

“I have lost my dewdrop,” cries the flower to the morning Sun who has lost all its stars.

“Are you too proud to kiss me?” the morning light asks the buttercup.

The trees come up to my window like the yearning of the dumb earth.

The bird-song is the echo of the morning light back from the earth.

The bird wishes it were a cloud, the Cloud wishes it were a bird.

Is not this mountain like a flower, with its petals of hills drinking the sunlight?

The cobweb pretends to catch dewdrops, and catches flies,

it is the tears of the earth that keeps her smiles in bloom.

Roots are the branches down in the earth. Branches are the roots in the air.

The infant flower opens its bud and cries, “Dear World, please do not fade.”

I sit at my window this morning where the world, like a passer-by, stops for a moment,

nods to me and goes. — by Rabindranath Tagore.

The cardinal is a power packed bird that transforms and awakens us. Its color and its voice are its two strongest characteristics. It is a member of the finch family and is often recognized by its brilliant red color.

The eggs laid by the female hatch in about twelve days. This, along with the cardinal being a year round resident, reflects the rhythm of the number twelve. The number twelve often has important significance for those with this totem. It can indicate a turn of events or a life changing situation. When the cardinal flies into your life expect a change to occur within 12 days, 12 weeks, 12 months or at the hour of 12. Because this bird is a year round resident its medicine is available at all times and should be used by those with this totem whenever a need arises.

Cardinals have a loud whistle, Whistles penetrate the air with sharp distinct tones. They demand our attention urging us to hear what is carried through the air. Both male and female cardinals join in the whistling. This reflects the need to integrate our male and female characteristics into our day to day life. Feminine energy is linked to intuition. Male energy is linked to perseverance. If both are operating within our life our intuitive knowledge has the perseverance and strength necessary to manifest our goals and dreams.

Cardinals eat many decaying weeds and injurious insects. When a cardinal appears in your life it is telling you to pay attention to your eating habits. Are you eating things that might be injurious to your health? IS your diet nutritionally balanced? Extra care should be given to the blood and circulatory system. Past life ties to overindulgence or the consumption of poisonous substances is often linked to cardinal medicine people.

The bright red color of the cardinal is very symbolic. Red represents the blood or life force of the Mystic Christ. In yoga circles this vital force is known as the kundalini. The kundalini lies dormant within us until activated by a disciplined spiritual practice. Once activated spiritual power can be attained. The cardinal offers safe passage into the world of personal power for those who ask for its help.

When a person with cardinal medicine steps onto a spiritual path there will be no turning back. Everything else in their life will seem insignificant. Extra care must be taken here to insure personal happiness, particularly in the area of one to one relationships. Balancing spiritual ideals and physical pleasure will need to be instated in ones life so harmony on all levels is known.

Cardinals are named for the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church with their bright red robes. A great love or a strong dislike for religion and churches is common amongst cardinal medicine people and can indicate a past life connection with one or both.

The cardinals voice is strong and clear and reflects an air of importance. This power packed bird can teach you how to express your truth, develop confidence and walk you talk. If you respect its teachings it will lead you home.

http://www.sayahda.com/cyc1.html

There is a lot of things out there about crows. It's hard to know what is well researched and what is created. I have always had interesting and positive feelings from them even though they represent bad things to some. Here are a few things from one site I found.
*********************
The crow has been regarded throughout history in a mysterious and sometimes ominous way. Perhaps more than any other animal, save the bat or the black cat, the crow and raven have been generally depicted in dark situations in both literature and film. Who doesn’t visualize a raven when they think of macabre writings of Edgar Allan Poe and his preoccupation with omens of death? And who can forget the playground scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”? And just about every movie with a creepy graveyard or haunted mansion, the eerie calling of crows can be heard in the background. Lets face it, they never got the good press of the eagle, the duck or even the lowly pigeon. Maybe they just had a bad publicist!

Some of this can be attributed to our penchant to stereotype creatures for our own pleasure. After all, what better creature to pick for an omen of bad things to come than a large black bird with an unpleasant voice?

But I believe it is goes deeper than that. Being natural scavengers, crows have been hanging around places of human misery such as battlefields since the dawn of civilization. In fact, one of the most disturbing recollections of reporters that visited Hiroshima after the bombing was the absolute plague of crows that descended upon the remains of the city. I’m sure the same scene has played itself out many times throughout man’s violent history.

Yes, crows have been historically associated with death in a very personal way. Add to that the crow’s innate intelligence, and it’s natural that we should have elevated the common crow to a mythological level above and beyond that of a normal bird. So here are some examples of superstitions and folklore that have lasted the test of time. Silly and out of date? Probably. But then maybe you haven’t walked through a dark graveyard lately.

* Crows have been used for the purpose of divination since the time of ancient Rome.
* Finding a dead crow on the road is good luck.
* Crows in a church yard are bad luck.
* A single crow over a house meant bad news, and often foretold a death within. "A crow on the thatch, soon death lifts the latch."
* It was unlucky in Wales to have a crow cross your path. However, if two crows crossed your path, the luck was reversed. "Two crows I see, good luck to me" .
* In New England, however, to see two crows flying together from the left was bad luck.
* When crows were quiet during their midsummer's molt, some European peasants believed that it was because they were preparing to go to the Devil to pay tribute with their black feathers.
* Often, two crows would be released together during a wedding celebration. If the two flew away together, the couple could look forward to a long life together. If the pair separated, the couple might expect to be soon parted.
* In Somerset (West Country of England) locals used to carry an onion with them for protection from magpies or crows.
* The French had a saying that evil priests became crows, and bad nuns became magpies.
* The Greeks said "Go to the Crows" the same way we would say "Go to Hell."
* The Romans used the expression "To pierce a Crow's eye" in relation to something that was almost impossible to do.
* An Irish expression, "You'll follow the Crows for it" meant that a person would miss something after it was gone.
* The expression, "I have a bone to pick with you" used to be " I have a crow to pick with you".
http://www.crowbusters.com/begart15.htm

Dusk its ash-grey blossoms sheds on violet skies,
Over twilight mountains where the heart songs rise,
Rise and fall and fade away from earth to air.
Earth renews the music sweeter. Oh, come there.
Come, acushla, come, as in ancient times
Rings aloud the underland with faery chimes.
Down the unseen ways as strays each tinkling fleece
Winding ever onward to a fold of peace,
So my dreams go straying in a land more fair;
Half I tread the dew-wet grasses, half wander there.
Fade your glimmering eyes in a world grown cold;
Come, acushla, with me to the mountains old.
There the bright ones call us waving to and fro—
Come, my children, with me to the ancient go.

A.E. (George William Russell)

In the hollows of quiet places we may meet,
the quiet places where is neither moon nor sun,
but only the light as of amber and pale gold
that comes from the Hills of the Heart.
There, listen at times: there you will call, and I hear:
there will I whisper, and that whisper will come to you as dew
is gathered into the grass, at the rising of the moon.

From; Silence of Amor
Fiona MacLeod

No I am not in a sad mournful mood today, quite the contrary. I was talking to another about angels and this song came to mind so I thought I'd post it. You had to be there.

Lyrics to The Unquiet Grave :
How pleasant is the wind tonight
I feel some drops of rain
I never had but one true love
In greenwood he lies slain
I'll do so much for my true love
As any young girl may
I'll sit and mourn all on your grave
For twelve months and a day

The twelve months and a day being up
The ghost began to speak
Why sit you here and mourn for me
And you will not let me sleep
What do you want of me sweetheart
Oh what is it you crave
Just one kiss of your lily white lips
And that is all I crave

Oh don't you see the fire sweetheart
The fire that burns so blue
Where my poor soul tormented is
All for the love of you
And if you weren't my own sweetheart
As I know you well to be
I'd rend you up in pieces small
As leaves upon a tree

Mourn not for me my dearest dear
Mourn not for me I crave
I must leave you and all the world
And turn into my grave

How beautiful the Queen of Night, on high
Her way pursuing among scattered clouds,
Where, ever and anon, her head she shrouds
Hidden from view in dense obscurity.
But look, and to the watchful eye
A brightening edge will indicate that soon
We shall behold the struggling Moon
Break forth,--again to walk the clear blue sky.

William Wordsworth

Today I was browsing about looking for something to post and stumbled across the mention of Fairy Day on another blog. Being curious I went on, thinking I'd missed something. It turns out it is a self proclaimed day June 24th, proclaimed by an artist who draws fairies. Now I have nothing against the celebration of fairies and I think going to a fairy ball, you've seen them, where folks dress up, would be fun if for no other reason than to people watch. For all of you who like fairy things, such as buttons and banners, the site is here.

From the low white walls and the church's steeple,
From our little fields under grass or grain,
I'm gone away to the fairy people
I shall not come to the town again.

You may see a girl with my face and tresses,
You may see one come to my mother's door
Who may speak my words and may wear my dresses.
She will not be I, for I come no more.

I am gone, gone far, with the fairies roaming,
You may ask of me where the herons are
In the open marsh when the snipe are homing,
Or when no moon lights nor a single star.
On stormy nights when the streams are foaming
And a hint may come of my haunts afar,
With the reeds my floor and my roof the gloaming,
But I come no more to Ballynar.

Ask Father Ryan to read no verses
To call me back, for I am this day
From blessings far, and beyond curses.
No heaven shines where we ride away.

At speed unthought of in all your stables,
With the gods of old and the sons of Finn,
With the queens that reigned in the olden fables
And kings that won what a sword can win.
You may hear us streaming above your gables
On nights as still as a planet's spin;
But never stir from your chairs and tables
To call my name. I shall not come in.

For I am gone to the fairy people.
Make the most of that other child
Who prays with you by the village steeple
I am gone away to the woods and wild.

I am gone away to the open spaces,
And whither riding no man may tell;
But I shall look upon all your faces
No more in Heaven or Earth or Hell.

LORD Dunsanay

In the last dark hour
Of the night,
Angels come to love us
And awaken us.

- Sri Chinmoy

How beautiful they are,
The lordly ones
Who dwell in the hills,
In the hollow hills.

They have faces like flowers,
And their breath is wind
That blows over grass
Filled with dewy clover.

Their limbs are more white
than shafts of moonshine.
They are more fleet
than the March wind.

They laugh and are glad
and are terrible:
When their lances shake,
every green reed quivers.

How beautiful they are
How beautiful the lordly ones
In the hollow hills."

Fiona Macleod

Young Love lies sleeping
In May-time of the year,
Among the lilies,
Lapped in the tender light:
White lambs come grazing,
White doves come building there:
And round about him
The May-bushes are white.

Soft moss the pillow
For oh, a softer cheek;
Broad leaves cast shadow
Upon the heavy eyes:
There wind and waters
Grow lulled and scarcely speak;
There twilight lingers
The longest in the skies.

Young Love lies dreaming;
But who shall tell the dream?
A perfect sunlight
On rustling forest tips;
Or perfect moonlight
Upon a rippling stream;
Or perfect silence,
Or song of cherished lips.

Burn odours round him
To fill the drowsy air;
Weave silent dances
Around him to and fro;
For oh, in waking
The sights are no so fair,
And song and silence
Are not like these below.

Young Love lies dreaming
Till summer days are gone, -
Dreaming and drowsing
Away to perfect sleep:
He sees the beauty
Sun hath not looked upon,
And tastes the fountain
Unutterably deep.

Him perfect music
Doth hush unto his rest,
And through the pauses
The perfect silence calms:
Oh, poor the voices
Of earth from east to west,
And poor earth’s stillness
Between her stately palms.

Young Love lies drowsing
Away to poppied death;
Cool shadows deepen
Across the sleeping face:
So fails the summer
With warm delicious breath;
And what hath autumn
To give us in its place?

Draw close the curtains
Of branched evergreen;
Change cannot touch them
With fading fingers sere:
Here first the violets
Perhaps with bud unseen,
And a dove, may be,
Return to nestle here.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti

I have gone out and seen the lands of Faery,

And have found sorrow and peace and beauty there,

And have not known one from the other, but found each

Lovely and gracious alike, delicate and fair.

“They are children of one mother, she that is called Longing,

Desire, Love,” one told me: and another, “her secret name

Is Wisdom” :Â and another, “they are not three but one”:

And another, “touch them not, seek them not, they are wind

and flame.”

I have come back from the hidden, silent land of Faery

And have forgotten the music of its ancient streams:

And now flame and wind and the long, grey, wandering wave

And beauty and peace and sorrow are dreams within dreams.

Fiona MacLeod

I had the most glorious background in here last night but I see it's gone today. I guess no matter what I wish, those backgrounds can work only on blogger. Now I am experimenting with backgrounds and font. I am not done and not sure I can tolerate the contrast so may have to go in and change the color of the type. Input is welcome and I will not be upset if you don't like something.

The faierie beame upon you, the Starres to glister on you;
A Moone of light in the Noone of night
Till the fire-drake hath oer-gone you
The wheel of fortune guide you, the boy with the bow beside you
Runne aye in the Way till the bird of day, And the Luckyer lot betide you.

Ben Johnson

A little tidbit I stumbled on tonight.

The Rowan Fairy is strong and protective, yet feminine and very magical. Norse myth tells that the first woman was formed from a rowan, while the ash formed the first man. Rowan is reported to have saved the life of the god Thor by bending over a swift river where he was drowning and enabling him to pull himself out.

The Druids used incense made from rowan wood to conjure spirits, yet the rowan fairy has such a grounding influence that she can connect you with the Otherworld while keeping you firmly in this world. Rowan protects against superstition and fosters a positive attitude. The rowan is planted near homes, for protection and insight.

The Rowan fairy is one of the most helpful of all, for she values the matters of this world and seeks to establish a connection with the subtle realms. She repels intruders firmly, yet invites interchange between the realms of being. Rowan is very powerful near stone circles and barrow-mounds, for her abilities are enhanced in these places. Her power will come with you if you carry rowan berries in your pocket, to where the water meets the land - and this can inspire you to write poetry.

http://thegoddesstree.com/trees/Rowan.htm

Village Song

Honey, child, honey, child, whither are you
going?
Would you cast your jewels all to the breezes
blowing?
Would you leave the mother who on golden
grain has fed you?
Would you grieve the lover who is riding forth
to wed you?

Mother mine, to the wild forest I am going,
Where upon the champa boughs the champa
buds are blowing;
To the koil-haunted river-isles where lotus lilies
glisten,
The voices of the fairy folk are calling me:
O listen!

Honey, child, honey, child, the world is full of
pleasure,
Of bridal-songs and cradle-songs and sandal-
scented leisure.
Your bridal robes are in the loom, silver and
saffron glowing,
Your bridal cakes are on the hearth: O whither
are you going?

The bridal-songs and cradle-songs have cadences
of sorrow,
The laughter of the sun to-day, the wind of
death to-morrow.
Far sweeter sound the forest-notes where forest-
streams are falling;
O mother mine, I cannot stay, the fairy-folk
are calling

Sarojini Naidu

Once in the dream of a night I stood
Lone in the light of a magical wood,
Soul-deep in visions that poppy-like sprang;
And spirits of Truth were the birds that sang,
And spirits of Love were the stars that glowed,
And spirits of Peace were the streams that flowed
In that magical wood in the land of sleep.

Excerpt from: Song of a Dream
Sarojini Naidu