A Song of Enchantment

Yesterday a regular follower of my blog sent me a photograph and said surely I could use it on my blog. It is a beautiful photograph as you will see below.  Now nature has a way of putting in things in perspective. Our ancestor's knew the importance of following the patterns of nature, the yearly calendar of sowing, planting and reaping. Of the importance of clean running water, of the cycles of the moon and the soothing powers of the green woods and forests.  The photograph made me think of all these things and then today I sat by a spring, the water was fresh and cool and safe to drink. There was a notice above the place where the water came to the earth's surface. It said that said
Our ancestors build this fountain
We have restored it
You, the traveller that passes by, stay awhile
Revive and refresh with the water and please respect it!!

Yes of course we must respect nature, and we need to be constantly reminded to do so.
The photograph and the green wood with the drinking water generously spilling out of the earth was an enchanted place and so my poem for today is one from my childhood.
The green woods, the cool shade of a tree, the beauty of the countryside were where my childhood imagination took flight, fairies, elves and magic and my mother's gentle voice telling me stories I hope you like this poem too and it brings magic into your life.


A Song of Enchantment by Walter de la Mare (1873 - 1956)

A song of Enchantment I sang me there
In a green-green wood, by waters fair,
Just as the words came up to me
I sang it under the wild wood tree.

Widdershins turned I, singing it low,
Watching the wild birds come and go;
No cloud in the deep dark blue to be seen
Under the thick-thatched branches green.

Twilight came: silence came:
The planet of Evening's silver flame:
By darkening paths I wandered through
Thickets trembling with drops of dew.

But the music is lost and the words are gone
Of the song I sang as I sat alone,
Ages and ages have fallen on me _
On the wood and the pool and the elder tree.


In case you're wondering what 'widdershins' means, my mum said it means away from the sun's direction.

A beautiful photo from a friend, given with love, a heart-shaped leaf

A place of enchantment

Clear fresh water to refresh a traveller