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| Druid tree |
Magical places truly exist, for I have seen them.
My children and I explored forests in Ireland where ancient trees reached a thousand feet up to the sky. Rain fell as mists through thick branches upon uplifted faces and open mouths, children catching raindrops. Fallen leaves renewed the earth beneath, turning into damp forest floors, churned about by my children's feet.
Scents from long ago filtered up and around trees as if from between the worlds.
Light dappled through breaks where branches opened then closed, then it danced to another hidden patch of ground. Light then dark. Dark then light. My children chased to hop on light circles as each appeared, "Mine!..No, mine!..."
Johnny discovered a flat stone table resting on three ragged granite stones. He claimed this table with its stones and laid leaves and sticks upon it. Mary and Erin danced around and around it, laughing and singing. Tossing leaves up into fresh air, they sang Happy Birthday and Alphabet Song.
As for me, a flat stone table, kept steady with three jagged table legs hidden within ancient trees in a cleared round space, held bygone and mystic secrets. People whose feet pressed into the ground have faded away, leaving only stones from which blood had poured from a still body. Hidden words through long dead lips whispered and swayed through the branches, and then disappeared in the mist.
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| Ocean Born Mary |
I wrapped my wool jacket close to my body, shivering and cold. I did not race away, but I hurried with eyes on my feet, not turning my head to see the stones or hazy shapes manifest and then merge with shadows.
Yes. I have seen magic, both light and dark. Dark and light.


Sounds like a magical place indeed.
ReplyDeleteOh it was then and still is now.
DeleteMagic and magical moments surround us, if we'd only take the time
ReplyDeleteto notice. I especially like the sentence, "I wrapped my wool jacket"............
I have a wool obsession.
In Ireland, with its many many sheep, wool is fabric of each day. It repelled rain to a degree and was awesomely warm.
DeleteWe just have to take the time to look to see magic some times.
ReplyDeleteabsolutely...
DeleteYes.
ReplyDeleteAnd both survive in hidden places to this day.
We visited a B and B with extensive planned out property. But there was this one place..where the old trees met and entwined to trees on the other side. A long natural walkway went from end to end. It took me several days to work up the courage to walk through it. It had that special feeling, so I ran instead.
DeleteBeautifully written. Your words definitely capture some of the magic of the place. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I hoped it would. When we were living in Ireland, we had a 20 acre wooded land, with big old trees. This is how it felt to walk on the paths.
DeleteGreat atmosphere. I wonder what they did there.
ReplyDeleteDruids believed in sacrifices. There are tables all over Ireland and Scotland. Eerie.
DeleteIt does sound like a wonderfully magic place, so sorry you felt the darkness there. Also am glad your children didn't.
ReplyDeleteThey climbed trees and ran all over. Youth has its blinders.
DeleteThe light of the children, the dark of someone else's past. These kinds of paths do sometimes have a particular feel, don't they!!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. When hair on the back of your neck and on the arms rise, time to walk on.
DeleteThis gave me chills to read. Loved the juxtaposition of your children enjoying the happy magic while you could feel the darkness. I wonder what happened there. I love exploring places and thinking about who may have been there before me.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same. Wonder who walked this way, what happened, that fascinates me.
DeleteIt's 2:30 AM as I read this, and it seems to be the kind of writing that'll give me dreams--or nightmares. Or both. Ha . I have experienced some of the coolest, eeriest things in the woods, too.
ReplyDeleteAre you not doing the A to Z Challenge this year?
Something about forests that give me that other wordly feeling.
DeleteNo, I decided that we are too busy with settling Mom's estate, clearing out her house before the new owners, etc. Plus healthy issues add to the mix.
But I am looking forward to checking out blogger friends and see what they are writing!
What a good writer you are, Susan. Loved this haunting tale.
ReplyDeleteWritten from memories of our time in Ireland, Inger. Thanks for popping over! Carpet of yellow poppies--amazing.
DeleteWonderful, Susan! I felt like I was there. I wish I was~
ReplyDeleteWish you could go to Ireland someday. This experience was near Cork city, Cork County
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