Again the machair blooms. Again these wild
Atlantic shorelines, battered but unbowed
as the marram grass, survive the wayward
blasts of winter, the silver sands endowed
with dancing colour, greeting the splendour
of the budding year. A close bound repertoire
of nodding harebells, celandines and thrift,
clover, thyme and tiny eyebright, near and far,
a sweeping backdrop to the wave-washed shore.
Sea campion, marigold and silverweed,
majestic iris, buttercup and mayweed,
bashful wild orchids, and a myriad more,
each in their order pays homage to the sun.
Bedazzling the eye, High Summer has begun.
The Greenwood - Villanelle
Under the ancient greenwood’s leafy shade,
Beneath the hornbeam and the spreading oak
Where moonglow shines into the sylvan glade
From the Elven harps magic chords cascade.
Harebells ring at exactly midnight’s stroke
Under the ancient greenwood’s leafy shade.
Fairy wings flicker as each note is played,
Ancient Songs the gossamer strings evoke.
Where moonglow shines into the sylvan glade,
Pixies in green cloaks from toadstool skins made
Dwell with happy and content forest folk,
Under the ancient greenwood’s leafy shade.
Rows of acorn shell drinking cups displayed,
Tree Sprites supping dew-drop wine laugh and joke
Where moonglow shines into the sylvan glade.
In light breezes, scents of wild herbs pervade,
Fires emitting chestnut scented smoke
Under the ancient greenwood’s leafy shade
Where moonglow shines into the sylvan glade
01/20/2019
Flaxen fields of rye and wheat
Basking in the summer heat.
The curlews haunting, plaintive cry
In hurried flight they cross the sky.
Around the fields the hedgerows grow
Full of thorny briar, and hazel too.
Stinging nettles crowd the verge,
Buttercups striving, pushing through.
The dandelion clock it waits,
For a gentle summer breeze
For just the slightest breath of air
To spread its dainty seeds.
The sweetest of them all I see
The forget me not enchants me.
Such a tiny thing, a dot of blue
How could we ever, forget you.
And always, there's the bramble
Its tangled thorns everywhere,
But how we love this prickly bush
When it brings its ripened fruits to bear.
The harebells bow their lilac flowers
While purple bonneted thistles tower.
Clover flowering all around,
It's crimson carpet adorns the ground.
All this around our countryside
Just outside our door,
Nature in her summer garb
Who could ask for more.
Down the bottom of the garden
where the mushrooms abound
is where you will find our home
pretty houses made of cobwebs
They sparkle and glitter in the sun
see our fairy ring where we dance
the largest mushroom is a palace
the home of our beautiful queen
We sometimes will play tricks on you
by hiding things or even moving them
no spite meant, just our sense of fun
tending to nature's garden is our aim
We will blow some fairy dust on you
to make you small and give you wings
so now you too can be a fairy for a day
and play your pranks on hapless friends
Now join us at our magical fairy ring
as we sit supping nectar from harebells
walk round our fairy ring three times
make a wish, it might just come true
written 08/05/2013
contest Fairy Dust
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