WINDSDAY WONDERS
Compiled & Edited by Rob Chappell
(@RHCLambengolmo)
Editorial Associate: S. A. Sonnenschein
Vol. 3, No. 32: June 12, 2024
Longaeviology 101
Episode #2: Poems & Tales of the Fair
Folk
Editor’s Note
This week, we continue
our annual June series of articles and poems about the Celtic Otherworld and
its chief denizens, the Fair Folk. Be sure to visit this blog space over the
next few weeks as we present poetry and prose about the Longaevi (Elves),
culminating with our annual cornucopia of Elven lore around Midsummer Eve (June
23rd).
An Opening Reflection
By Kendall Alverna, Staff Writer
Dreams are the wings of thought that take us far beyond the bounds of
reason, to the edge of the mystery of existence.
So I suppose that
I think that dreams can be a way to explore the boundaries of our knowledge and
understanding, and to experience something beyond the rational. Dreams can be a
source of inspiration and insight, and they can help us to connect with our inner
selves and the world around us in profound ways.
Kendall Alverna, a historian and philosopher of
science, is examining an armillary sphere – a tabletop model of the medieval cosmos.
(Image Credit: The Editor)
“The Song of Wandering Aengus” (1899)
By William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)
Editor’s Note: From the Emerald Isle comes this love-quest poem inspired by
classical Irish mythology. Yeats’ poem in turn served as the basis of “Rogue
Planet,” the 18th episode of the 1st season of Star
Trek: Enterprise.
I went out to the hazel wood,
Because a fire was in my head,
And cut and peeled a hazel wand,
And hooked a berry to a thread;
And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out,
I dropped the berry in a stream
And caught a little silver trout.
When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire a-flame,
But something rustled on the floor,
And someone called me by my name:
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossom in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded through the brightening air.
Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands,
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done,
The silver apples of the Moon,
The golden apples of the Sun.
"The Midsummer Magic"
By Zoey Valen, Staff Writer
On fair Midsummer's Eve, they twirl and spin,
The fair Folk of lore, with magic within.
Their laughter echoes in the night,
As they celebrate under the moon's soft light.
Dancing free and filled with joy,
The faeries revel on this midsummer's night!
Once upon a time,
on a beautiful summer night, under the glow of the full Moon, a young girl
named Ravenna, who lived on a small farm in East Central Illinois, was out for
a walk in the fields. Her parents had always warned her to be careful wandering
out alone at night, but she felt compelled to venture out and explore the world
around her.
As she walked
through the tall grasses, she suddenly heard a strange and beautiful music
filling the air. The music seemed to be coming from a nearby field filled with
wildflowers and glowing with a magical light. Curiosity piqued, she cautiously
approached, and what she saw took her breath away. In the field stood a group
of tiny, glowing beings with delicate wings, dancing gracefully to the Otherworldly
music. They seemed to be celebrating the Midsummer holiday and were inviting
her to join in the festivities.
As Ravenna
marveled at the sight before her, she felt a warm, welcoming presence
surrounding her. The little beings beckoned her to join their dance and assured
her that she would come to no harm. As she stepped closer to the magical field,
the music grew even more enchanting, and she found herself drawn into their
celebration. Together, they danced under the silver light of the Moon, twirling
and leaping in joyful harmony. The magic of the Midsummer night filled her soul
with a deep sense of peace and happiness.
As they danced and
sang well into the night, the little beings shared with Ravenna the secrets of
the Midsummer magic, how the magic of this special night could bring people
together and create moments of joy and understanding. She realized that this
magical event was a gift from the world of nature and its spirits, a reminder
of the interconnectedness of all living things. When the music finally
subsided, and the faeries said their farewells, Ravenna returned home with a
heart full of wonder and gratitude for the beautiful experience she had shared
with these magical creatures.
Upon her return
home, Ravenna felt a profound sense of peace and contentment. Her heart was
lifted and her spirit was renewed. The magical encounter had left a lasting
impression on her, and as she quietly crept into her house and back up to her
room, she knew that she would never forget the wonders of that Midsummer night.
Every Midsummer Eve after that, she would venture back to the same field and
listen for the music, hoping to be invited back to celebrate with the faery
folk once more. Though she might not see them again for a while, she knew that
the magic of that night would always remain in her heart.
Zoey Valen, a musician and musicologist, observes the starlit
Midsummer Eve sky from her backyard. (Image Credit: The Editor)
“Faery Rings”
By Evaleen Stein
Editor’s Note: This poem explains how people before the Space Age explained the origin of “crop circles.” Truly, there’s nothing new under the Sun! 😊
Softly in the gloaming
Flitting through the vale,
Faery folk are roaming
Over hill and dale.
Pixies in the hollow,
Elves upon the height,
Let us follow, follow
Through the paling light.
Follow, all unbidden,
To the grassy glade
Wrapped around and hidden
In the forest shade.
Hark the elfin tinkle
Of their little lutes!
Mark the golden twinkle
Of their faery flutes!
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 faery ring,
For tomorrow’s token
Of their frolicking!
“Starlight on the Hilltop”
By Bryn Rose Thompson, Staff Writer
Beneath the starry night,
I stand on the hilltop tall.
The Moon and planets shine,
In the dark, rural sky.
The beauty of the stars,
Is like a magic spell.
They dance and sparkle in the dark,
Making me feel small.
The night is still and quiet,
As I gaze at the sky.
The stars are like a thousand diamonds,
Brightly shining high.
The planets wheel across the sky,
A constant dance in the night.
The Moon is full and golden,
Bathing all in silver light.
The night sky is vast and endless,
Yet I feel connected and whole.
In the beauty of the stars,
I find my own unique soul.
Bryn Rose Thompson, the author of the preceding poem,
is observing the night sky from the hilltop on her family’s farm. Notice the
full Moon in the upper left portion of the picture, as mentioned in her poem.
(Image Credit: The Editor)
“Fairy Song” (Excerpted from Flower Fables,
1855)
By Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888)
The moonlight fades from flower and tree,
And the stars dim one by one;
The tale is told, the song is sung,
And the Fairy feast is done.
The night-wind rocks the sleeping flowers,
And sings to them, soft and low.
The early birds erelong will wake:
‘Tis time for the Elves to go.
O’er the sleeping earth we silently pass,
Unseen by mortal eye,
And send sweet dreams, as we lightly float
Through the quiet moonlit sky;--
For the stars’ soft eyes alone may see,
And the flowers alone may know,
The feasts we hold, the tales we tell:
So ‘tis time for the Elves to go.
From bird, and blossom, and bee,
We learn the lessons they teach;
And seek, by kindly deeds, to win
A loving friend in each.
And though unseen on earth we dwell,
Sweet voices whisper low,
And gentle hearts most joyously greet
The Elves where’er they go.
When next we meet in the Fairy dell,
May the silver moon’s soft light
Shine then on faces gay as now,
And Elfin hearts as light.
Now spread each wing, for the eastern sky
With sunlight soon will glow.
The morning star shall light us home:
Farewell! for the Elves must go.
Weekly Words of Wisdom
By Skylar Sonnenschein, Editorial Associate
The realm of dreams and
imagination is truly a fascinating one! Here's a quote from the renowned
psychologist Carl Jung that beautifully encapsulates the boundless wonders of
this realm: "Your vision will become clear only when you can look into
your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."
Stoic Proverb of the Week
Contributed by Amy Kendrick, Staff Writer
“We cannot
choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.”
à Epictetus,
Roman Stoic Philosopher (50-135 CE).
Amy’s
Commentary:
Epictetus was a former slave who
became a prominent Stoic philosopher and teacher in ancient Rome during the
early 2nd century CE. He taught that while we cannot control many things in
life, such as the behavior of other people or the circumstances that we find
ourselves in, we can always choose how we respond to those things.
He believed that our reactions
to external events are the key to our happiness or unhappiness, and that by
cultivating a wise and virtuous attitude, we can live a dignified and
fulfilling life, regardless of the external challenges we face.
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