Aging – This Jolly Beggar

Autumnal Severance

Autumnal severance

season’s flashing tonality

present past present future

the shin hurt of childhood quarrel

aging fruit and jarring tumbler

last year’s fashion muffler, tomorrow’s cinder

moth-eaten “do my bones look big in this?” sweater

witch’s brew of prescription medicines

growing old is time’s obscurer

a flash of autumnal red

like twinkling stars

fade and fall

For Sammi's Day 6 ("witches brew") and Day 7 ("Do my bones look big in this?")

The Land of the Young (Tír na nÓg)

For lyrics and translation to the song, click here.

Strange the tale of an elven king’s son
Who lured a maid into the land of the young.
There she took tea, fated never to return
To the land of the living where hopes reigned.

Once she escaped her besom buddies of elven-land
But euphoria died when her long black locks turned white
As haunting memories of the land of the young
Made her yearn for the revelry of elven friends.

On the steps of a cathedral she stood skyward gazing
Behind her from the woods the elven king’s son stood imploring
But she had found a love beside which earthly magic paled
A love eternal from her Maker that over all prevailed.

“I cannot go with you, sweet heir of elven halls
Though surely will I miss you and all your kith and kin.
I have chosen wisely with wisdom from above
To live and die a daughter of the God who does me love.”

The elven lords and ladies left behind remained wondering
Their days of wine, their nights of dance, youth forever blooming
Thrown aside by a poor maid as if they all were nothing
Impressed them not, sincere or not, and soon she was forgotten.

Crimson's Creative Challenge #154 prompt: Image credit Crispina Kemp
RagTag Daily Prompt Thursday: "Euphoria"
Sammi's 13 Days of Samhain vol ii: Day 2 – "Besom Buddies"
Eugi's Weekly Prompt: "Haunting"

Iris By Design

April days are numbered to thirty
May arrives like a flight of doves ethereal
The iris struggles to hold on to green
My heart beats in purple petals
Breathless to catch the dew