Glastonbury Tor is a hill in the county of Somerset in south-west England.1 It rises up distinctly and solitarily from the middle of a flat plain and is visible for miles around. St. Michael’s Church Tower, the remains of a 14th century church, is the only building on the summit. It bears a striking resemblance … Continue reading Arthurian Landmarks: Glastonbury Tor
“Tricksy lights”: Will-o’-the-Wisps in Folklore & J.R.R. Tolkien
Das Irrlicht, by Arnold Böcklin, 1882 Will-o’-the-wisps are little dancing lights sometimes seen on bogs and moorlands, and occasionally in forests. Some have been reported to retreat from the viewer if followed, thus giving the impression that it was leading the viewer somewhere. Unfortunately, because will-o’-the-wisps were often seen on bogs and marshes, people who … Continue reading “Tricksy lights”: Will-o’-the-Wisps in Folklore & J.R.R. Tolkien
“The Hosts of Faery,” translated by Kuno Meyer
Riders of the Sidhe, by John Duncan, 1911 The Hosts of Faerytranslated by Kuno Meyer White shields they carry in their hands,With emblems of pale silver;With glittering blue swords,With mighty stout horns. In well-devised battle array,Ahead of their fair chieftainThey march amid blue spears,Pale-visaged, curly-headed bands. They scatter the battalions of the foe,They ravage every … Continue reading “The Hosts of Faery,” translated by Kuno Meyer
Arthurian Landmarks: Tintagel Castle
The winter session of The Wordstapas is open for registration. Our first meeting is January 31st. We will be reading The High Deeds of Finn MacCool, by Rosemary Sutcliff, as well as some ancient Irish poetry. An auditing option is available for those who cannot join the live meetings due to commitments or time zone differences. Register here, or contact … Continue reading Arthurian Landmarks: Tintagel Castle
Written Sources for the Historical Arthur
The winter/spring session of The Wordstapas is open for registration. Our first meeting is January 31st. We will be reading The High Deeds of Finn MacCool, by Rosemary Sutcliff, as well as some ancient Irish poetry. An auditing option is available for those who cannot join the live meetings due to commitments or time zone … Continue reading Written Sources for the Historical Arthur
You Came Slow, by Miriam Novotny – A poem for Advent 4 (2022)
Adoration of the Child, by Gerard von Honthorst, circa 1620 You Came Slowby Miriam Novotny You could have come with thunderstroke,With lightning-spikéd wheel-spoke,With cracking whip and blasting horn,On cloud-enshrouded wings of storm.You could have come with cyclone-speedThat rips away the roots of trees,As quick as wind, as fierce as snow,But you came slow. You could … Continue reading You Came Slow, by Miriam Novotny – A poem for Advent 4 (2022)
The Annunciation, by Edwin Muir – A poem for Advent 2 (2022)
Annunciation, by Leonardo da Vinci, circa 1472 The Annunciationby Edwin Muir The angel and the girl are met.Earth was the only meeting place.For the embodied never yetTravelled beyond the shore of space. The eternal spirits in freedom go.See, they have come together, see,While the destroying minutes flow,Each reflects the other’s faceTill heaven in hers and … Continue reading The Annunciation, by Edwin Muir – A poem for Advent 2 (2022)
Tor, Brae, How, & Other Hill-ish Words
I began to discover different words for “hill” as I travelled through England and Scotland. In Canada, places are often named after people or after towns in the old country. In Britain, place-names often reflect the landscape. If, in the days of the Celts and Anglo-Saxons, one’s village was built near a hill, it was … Continue reading Tor, Brae, How, & Other Hill-ish Words
In Flanders Fields, by John McCrae (Remembrance Day 2022)
In Flanders Fieldsby John McCrae In Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we … Continue reading In Flanders Fields, by John McCrae (Remembrance Day 2022)
Why I Will Not Be Writing About “The Rings of Power”
Amazon has now fully released the first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. This is the first cinematic portrayal of J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythology since the release of Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies in 2014. The series has unleashed a torment of reviews, both fiercely positive and … Continue reading Why I Will Not Be Writing About “The Rings of Power”
Remembered Lore 