Gentle reader whoever you may be, thank you for checking in once in a while. I hope this blog is of use to you, in some small way.
As 2021 draws to close, may we all find moments of peace and gentleness this winter. If you’re a writer I wish you an abundance of creative inspiration. If you’re a reader I wish you the time and space to get lost in a magical story.
And in the meantime, here is a song to share. It’s a favorite of mine when I’m out walking, especially in a forest. The lyrics are beautiful and make me think of my children when they were just discovering the wonders of the outside world. It was inspired by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris’ gorgeous and necessary picture book, The Lost Words. I hope you enjoy it too. Stay safe and be well.
The Lost Words Blessing
Enter the wild with care, my love
And speak the things you see
Let new names take and root and thrive and grow
And even as you travel far from heather, crag and river
May you like the little fisher, set the stream alight with glitter
May you enter now as otter without falter into water
Look to the sky with care, my love
And speak the things you see
Let new names take and root and thrive and grow
And even as you journey on past dying stars exploding
Like the gilded one in flight, leave your little gifts of light
And in the dead of night my darling,
find the gleaming eye of starling
Like the little aviator, sing your heart to all dark matter
Walk through the world with care, my love
And sing the things you see
Let new names take and root and thrive and grow
And even as you stumble through machair sands eroding
Let the fern unfurl your grieving, let the heron still your breathing
Let the selkie swim you deeper, oh my little silver-seeker
Even as the hour grows bleaker, be the singer and the speaker
And in city and in forest, let the larks become your chorus
And when every hope is gone, let the raven call you home
Artists: Karine Polwart, Julie Fowlis, Seckou Keita, Kris Drever, Kerry Andrew, Bethany Porter, Rachel Newton, Jim Molyneux