The Feast of All Hallow's Eve

Across the fen and moors,

and far from the crashing shores;

The Witching Hour approacheth,

deep in the woodland forest.

And, as all of the land has numbly nodded,

Tall trees stand watch over a little stone cottage,

and, greet the grey smoke rising 

from a brick and mortar chimney.

Inside, from the ceiling's wooden rafters,

Herbs hang from gnarled hooks and antlers.

On the hearth is a bubbling cauldron,

that is black and tarnished with soot.

Suspended above a roaring flame,

is a gurgling, boiling toadstool soup;

to which the wise old woman, 

adds mermaid tears,

lizard teeth, and Eye of Newt.

The cat of black is silent and sleek,

and moves on padded feet,

 'round her ankles, 

though it never tangles,

as she works her sorcery.

While the cat is content and purring;

The creatures out of doors are roused and stirring.

She reaches for a key from an ancient cupboard drawer,

Then opening the creaking, arched wooden door,

She exclaims words of alerting;

"Arise!"

"Arise!"

Into the night, she cries,

to all the living beings who are now emerging.

The elves appear from under mushroom caps,

Fairies leave their beds from dragon-snaps;

And, a cluster of stars begin their tune.

They nudge and whisper to the sleepy moon,

to ignite its glow upon their dances.

The stars advise the moon, 

" 'Tis time to climb,

and levitate to the farthest reaches!

Come!  Convene with the forest creatures!"

Silently, a great white stag advances, 

stepping over mossy rocks and fallen branches.

From scaled eggs, baby dragons are hatched,

Splaying wings and breathing fire;

And, as the sirens begin their midnight choir,

a raven appears, landing on the roof of thatch.

They spy upon the wisp-o-willow,

pondering its reflection in a watery pillow,

and waking from its nap.

The wolf watches the raven, 

parlay with the owl;

so the wolf follows the siren's song, 

and begins to howl.

Fairy wings illuminate the air,

as they rise, like fireflies, 

flying far into the sky,

and shaking glitter from their hair.

They dance over ivy, myrtle and weeds;

like summer winds that blow dandelion seeds,

sprinkling light across the blackest night.

And as the clock strikes twelve,

so appears the elves,

who were busy gathering herbs and flowers;

to bring to the wise old wench, 

who is now aware of the hour.

She takes their goods to add to the soup;

and the other creatures decorate the Great forest table.

The feast has begun, as the goblins strike their drums,

and mischievous imps light an array of candles.

With a sudden commotion, arrived the Fairy Queen;

(Who stood much taller than others of her breed)

on the back of a horned beast with cloven feet.

They all gather 'round, to revel the night, 

and partake in the heady staple.

Though, no human has witnessed, 

or has ever seen,

celebrations or events such as these;

In my imagination,

this is a fabrication, 

of the All Hallow's Eve.

© Denise Goodwin, All Rights Reserved

F is for FAIRY

Friday's are a perfect day for a whimsical blog post.  Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

When I sound the fairy call,

Gather here in silent meeting,

Chin to knee on the orchard wall,

Cooled with dew and cherries eating.

Merry, merry, Take a cherry

Mine are sounder, Mine are rounder

Mine are sweeter, For the eater

When the dews fall.  And you'll be fairies all.

~Robert Graves, "Cherry-Time," Fairies and Fusiliers, 1918

Soft moss a downy pillow makes, and green leaves spread a tent,

Where Faerie fold may rest and sleep until their night is spent.

The bluebird sings a lullaby, the firefly gives a light,

The twinkling stars are candles bright, Sleep, Faeries all, Good Night.

~Elizabeth T. Dillingham, "A Faery Song"

Bring the buds of the hazel-copse,

Where two lovers kissed at noon;

Bring the crushed red wild-thyme tops

Where they murmured under the moon....

~Alfred Noyes, "A Spell (An Excellent Way to get a Fairy)

The fairies went from the world, dear,

Because men's hearts grew cold:

And only the eyes of children see

What is hidden from the old...

~Kathleen Foyle

When the winds of March are wakening the crocuses and crickets,

Did you ever find a fairy near some budding little thickets,...

And when she sees you creeping up to get a closer peek

She tumbles through the daffodils, a playing hide and seek.

~Marjorie Barrows

The fairy poet takes a sheet

Of moonbeam, silver white;

His ink is dew from daisies sweet,

His pen a point of light.

~Joyce Kilmer

She who sits by haunted well,

Is subject to the Nixies’ spell;

She who walks on lonely beach

To the Mermaid’s charmed speech;

She who walks round ring of green,

Offends the peevish Fairy Queen;

And she who takes rest in the dwarfie’s cave,

A weary weird of who shall have.

~Sir Walter Scott

Faeries, come take me out of this dull world,

For I would ride with you upon the wind,

Run on the top of the dishevelled tide,

And dance upon the mountains like a flame.

~William Butler Yeats, "The Land of Heart's Desire," 1894

Deaf folk hear the fairies

However soft their song;

'Tis we who lose the honey sound

Amid the clamor all around

That beats the whole day long.

~Rose Fyleman

Fays and fairies haste away!

This is Harriet's holiday:

Bring the lyre, and bring the lute,

Bring the sweetly-breathing flute;

Wreaths of cowslips hither bring,

All the honours of the spring;

Adorn the grot with all that's gai,

Fays and fairies haste away

Bring the vine to Bacchus dear,

Bring the purple lilac here,

Festoons of roses, sweetest flower,

The yellow primrose of the bower,

Blue-ey'd violets wet with dew,

Bring the clustering woodbine too

Bring the baskets made of rush,

The cherry with it's ripen'd blush,

The downy peach, so soft so fair,

The luscious grap, the mellow pear:

These to Harriet hither bring,

And sweetly in return she'll sing

Be the brilliant grotto scene

The palace of the Fairy Queen

Form the sprightly circling dance,

Fairies here your steps advance;

To harp's soft dulcet sound

Let your footsteps lightly bound

Unveil your forms to mortal eye;

Let Harriet view your revelry

~ F.D. Browne-Hemans, Invocation to the Fairies

Oh! where do fairies hide their heads,

When snow lies on the hills,

When frost has spoiled their mossy beds,

And crystallized their rills?

~Thomas Haynes Bayly

Are those the magic fairy wands

glistening on the tree

or only winter icicles that I see?

~Author Unknown

Buttercups in the sunshine look like little cups of gold.

Perhaps the Faeries come to drink the raindrops that they hold.

~Elizabeth T. Dillingham, "A Faery Song"

Blind folk see the fairies.

Oh, better far than we,

Who miss the shining of their wings

Because our eyes are filled with things

We do not wish to see.

~Rose Fyleman

Tho' ye be mortal, I can see.

                  A kindred spirit dwells in thee.

              I doff me hat, extend me hand.

                    Come linger with me in faeryland.

                                                          Carla J. Nelson

I believe in everything until it's disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it's in your mind. Who's to say that dreams and nightmares aren't as real as the here and now? ~John Lennon

If we opened our minds to enjoyment, we might find tranquil pleasures spread about us on every side. We might live with the angels that visit us on every sunbeam, and sit with the fairies who wait on every flower. ~Samuel Smiles

[W]hen the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. And now when every new baby is born its first laugh becomes a fairy. So there ought to be one fairy for every boy or girl. ~James Matthew Barrie, Peter Pan

The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve; lovers to bed; 'tis almost fairy time. ~William Shakespeare

See them dancing,  dancing,

While the silver moon

Tips their swiftly glancing

Little silver shoon!

Tripping, tripping lightly

Where their footprints fall.

Look! the grass is brightly

Growing green and tall!

Springing close, unbroken

In a fairy ring!

For tomorrow's token

Of their frolicking!

~Evaleen Stein

Child Songs of Cheer - 1918

Come away, O human child!

To the waters and the wild

With a faery hand in hand,

For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

~William Butler Yeats, "The Stolen Child"

We the Fairies, blithe and antic,

Of dimensions not gigantic,

Though the moonshine mostly keep us,

Oft in orchards frisk and peep us.

~Thomas Randolph

No child but must remember laying his head in the grass, staring into the infinitesimal forest and seeing it grow populous with fairy armies. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

We call them faerie. We don't believe in them. Our loss. ~Charles de Lint

Ah ! Woe is me ! poor silver-wing !

That I must chant they lady's dirge,

And death to this fair haunt of spring,

Of melody, and streams of flowery verge --

Poor silver-wing ! ah ! woe is me !

That I must see

These blossoms snow upon thy lady's pall !

Go, pretty page ! and in her ear

Whisper that the hour is near !

Softly tell her not to fear

Such calm Favonian burial !

Go, pretty page ! and softly tell --

The blossoms hang by a melting spell,

And fall they must, ere a star wink thrice

Upon her closed eyes,

That now in vain are weeping in their last tears,

At sweet life leaving, and these arbors green --

Rich dowry from the spirit of the spheres

alas ! poor queen !

~John Keats, Faery Song

Vermont Fairy Houses

It has been a while since I have made a post....my job and wedding plans have consumed me for the past couple of months.  I am happy to report that I have everything wrapped up.  I have had a lot of fun making all of my own wedding decorations, ordering various things on line and of course, shopping.  It is hard to believe that we will be married in just 15 days and a wake up!

Today I discovered a whimsical and artistic event that is now an annual happening in Grafton, Vermont. Grafton is a small town in Windham County with a population of just about 650 people.  It is east of Manchester and Chester is to the North.

The Nature House Museum hosts a "Fairy House Tour", which will be held this year on Saturday and Sunday, September 27th and 28th, 2014.  I don't know about you, but I was intrigued and hope to make the trip this year!  Below are some photos from last year's event.  I am inspired to make a few fairy houses around my own property.....Their website reads:

"A hand-carved door. A meticulously shingled roof. Tables set with acorn cups. A toadstool merry-go-round. And woods and gardens echoing with the sounds of delighted tour-goers of all ages.

A​lways held on the last weekend in September, the Fairy House Tour has become a cherished autumn tradition in southern Vermont. In 2013, over 600 people attended our Fifth Annual Fairy House Tour. The fairy houses were incredible, the weather was glorious--and the record attendance means more support for our school and community nature programs throughout the year. We are a non-profit organization, and the fees for our programs do not begin to cover the costs of producing them. The Fairy House Tour is a key part of our year-round fundraising.

Tour goers wore fairy wings, built their own fairy houses in our gardens, made fairy wands, and marveled over the three dozen fairy houses in the Village Park woods behind the Museum."

GUIDELINES FOR BUILDING FAIRY HOUSES

"Use natural materials – feathers, dry grasses, leaves, sticks, pebbles, shells, bark from a fallen tree, milkweed, moss, nuts, pods, acorns, berries, gourds, miniature pumpkins, pine cones.

All fairy houses must appear to be made entirely of natural components. Hot glue, acrylic spray, natural twine and other man-made items can be used but must be completely concealed by natural elements.

Platforms or man-made support materials can be used for easier delivery and transport, but must be concealed with natural materials when installed on-site.

Houses may be any size and the theme of the house may be anything you wish.

Please do not use any items of value in the houses.

Free parking. No pets please."

The Nature Museum
186 Townshend Rd
Grafton, VT 05146
(802) 843-2111
http://www.nature-museum.org