Mid Summer Dreaming

"If a June night could talk,

it would probably boast it invented romance."

- Bern Williams 

This summer in the English countryside has seen no sign of Flaming June. It has been a landscape of muddy blues and greens and purple haze. As June comes to a rainy end we revisit the revelries which happened on one warm night.

The Queen of Fae was bored, with daydreams and rain,

her subjects heard her say ~

Time for a midsummer soiree! 

Much effort was put towards what they wore,

  splendidly attired so as not to offend

 

When they could do no more,

those whose wardrobe was yet amiss

A scary Faerie seamstress did amend.

Oh! That silken night robe you wore was so divine,

you said you had nothing to wear ~

I want it to be mine!

Nature's bounty came in spare ~

 wound round shoulders

 and twisted tight in hair.

Magic gleamed on every guest

the jewels were the very best ~

 

Who grabbed that passing winged thing,

and pinned her to their breast?

Gloriously garbed, all bowed

to the King and Queen,

it was her party

And she wanted to be seen.

Faeries underdressed were forced to flee!

 

Mrs Black, Puff and Munchkin were invited too

 

Did you bring your Beasts with you?

Who could help but stare?

She brought a Unicorn, and over here ~

those charming Shy Sisters brought their Deer!

Some were near, others did travel far

Or met hardship along the way

The valet looked after every car

During our stay.

Alice and her Rabbit were very late

 

The rest of the party really could not wait! 

Such pretty places to sit and rest a spell

 Full sympathy for all of those

Who now have stories to tell.

who forgot not to dose,

and kept company in their sleep,

you'd rather not keep.

There was such fine entertainment

a travelling musician or two

and a disc jockey spun records

some old, some new .....

of course the food and drinks were plenty

If you dared to eat or drink,

you are far braver than me

And if you grew weary of the music and the meet

you may have felt inclined to take a seat

or wander in the wood,

so dark and deep

 

Did you remember to beware?

 

perchance you fell asleep

while there.

The ballroom was so crowded

 we spread out onto the lawn

By then I had to change those Red Shoes!

or dance until the dawn.

I saw you danced with the gentleman most strange

With thistledown hair, and green coat

I think it was he who arranged

That Dragon in the moat!

As we watched Dawn begin to weave

light across our play,

We wondered if we should take our leave,

but decided to go inside, and catch some sleep

before another summer's day.

Our hosts bid us all a gentle goodnight 

Just as Alice arrived, so like her!, 

said Puck, the mischievous Sprite, 

"remember ~ having spent these hours in Faerie,

You may not be who that you were."

The previous post to this was a tribute to William Shakespeare, who I never tire of. As you may have guessed ~ this is a favourite book of mine from Rare Books.

CREDITS ****

Please ~ do not despair
Indeed we too care ~
All images will be credited to owners and creators in due course, once we have recovered from the Midsummer Night's Dream!