To Dance with the Fairies

 

I’D LOVE TO BE A FAIRY’S CHILD

        

Children born of fairy stock

Never need for shirt or frock,

Never want for food or fire,

Always get their heart’s desire:

Jingle pockets full of gold,

Marry when they’re seven years old.

Every fairy child may keep

Two strong ponies and ten sheep;

All have houses, each his own,

Built of brick or granite stone;

They live on cherries, they run wild—

I’d love to be a Fairy’s child.

 Something, somewhere.  Somehow the start of something new, makes me feel like I should be somewhere else, doing something else. Something is not quite right--like I don't belong here.  I must be a fairy child.

 

William Blake is an amazing poet. Nothing is obvious at the first or second read through--- Good vs. evil, tiger/tyger stripes, burning bright. Good writer. Strong faith. Brilliant.

 

                            Performed by Tom O'Bedlam    

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Noble and Defeated

The first time I read Animal Farm in high school I was astounded. The courage of the animals fighting against the humans, with the hogs as the forceful nature negotiating. (as a farmer's daughter, let me tell you that hogs cannot be trusted. Nasty natures.) The true heroes are the animals who are selfless in this struggle.

Then after some years, an animated version of the story appeared on TV. Pretty much the same as the book, this time I was furious at the hogs, as their true cruelty and deviousness comes to light. It is such a surprising book, especially given the time period, WW2 and pre-Cold War.

The narration is everything such a story would require. Allegorical, metaphorical, satirical, it is  a veiled comparison to USSR. When the book is freely published, it was not well received in Socialist countries of the world, still isn't. The following paragraph is from Wikipedia, partial synopsis. 

"Humanity and equality.The poorly-run manor farm is up for change. at a ..

poorly-run Manor Farm near Willingdon, England, is ripened for rebellion from its animal populace by neglect at the hands of the irresponsible and alcoholic farmer, Mr. Jones. 

One night, the exalted boar, Old Major, holds a conference, at which he calls for the overthrow of humans and teaches the animals a revolutionary song called "Beasts of England". 

When Old Major dies, two young pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, assume command and stage a revolt, driving Mr. Jones off the farm and renaming the property "Animal Farm". 

They adopt the Seven Commandments of Animalism, the most important of which is, "All animals are equal". The decree is painted in large letters on one side of the barn. 

Snowball teaches the animals to read and write, while Napoleon educates young puppies on the principles of Animalism. Food is plentiful, and the farm runs smoothly. The pigs elevate themselves to positions of leadership and set aside special food items, ostensibly for their personal health. 

Following an unsuccessful attempt by Mr. Jones and his associates to retake the farm (later dubbed the "Battle of the Cowshed"), Snowball announces his plans to modernize the farm by building a windmill. Napoleon disputes this idea, and matters come to head, which culminate in Napoleon's dogs chasing Snowball away and Napoleon declaring himself supreme commander."

George Orwell

 

The Uprising

Animal Farm YouTube with subtitles

Have you ever read Animal Farm? Easy read, meaningful then and even more so now. Take a chance, leap into George Orwell's writing. Insightful writer.

Cause and Effect in the College Years

Fresh air, breathed in and then exhaled, echoed:  Free at Last!  Free!  Free!  A flurry of  young freshman  girls unpacked boxes from car to dorm, with parents’ help.  No need for help it turned out.  The girls had been planning their escape for the past year.

Then the freshman mixer after reluctant parents disappeared was rife with giggles and nervousness.  The school year began.

source

The fresh batch of fairly innocent freshman girls were greeted a bit too friendly by older class males.  Ah!  Innocence—how nice it smells.  Red Riding Hood enacted on a college campus.

Some of female dorms were noted as the “free and easy dorms”, making the marks a bit too easy.  Really easy.

“Every year this happens.  You’d think the parents would talk to their daughters about this.  But, no.  To discuss this is to condone it. So, here we are, again,” Nurse Ruth cursed.

Read the information first!!

What happened every year?  The young gullible girls on Third Floor Jennings Dorm (the easy dorm; not the real dorm name) had just learned about birth control pills, the miracle of birth control pills!  One girl made an appointment to see a doctor and brought back the round container of pills.

Sooo, when one had a date, she would take one pill and tah-dah she would be safe from getting pregnant.  One pill = no pregnancy.

In three months, three girls were sent home to finish out their pregnancy. 

Fresh air! Free at last!  Free!

Do you recognize boy, left, bottom row?

Late 1960s senior photos:  note hair and clothing styles.

The Freedom of the Letter E

http://www.12frames.eu/

Eagle...Egret...Entrails...End...So many possibilities, aren't there?

For me, the Letter E is about something very important:

Emancipation

Of all the Amendments made to the Constitution, the Emancipation Proclamation was perhaps the most controversial, made possible by the bloodiest war ever fought on American land, and one of the most important amendments made.

Source

If you have seen the movie "Lincoln", in which Daniel Day-Lewis was President Lincoln, then you have in inkling of how much this all cost.

Here are the words in part, written by hand, and signed by President Lincoln:

                               Emancipation Proclamation

Please try to see this movie.  It was filmed mostly in Springfield, Illinois, where much has been restored.  Daniel Day-Lewis did 

Source: The Movie

not allow himself to lose his characterization of Lincoln, to the point where he walked around surrounding areas, speaking to residents as would Lincoln have spoken.

The Letter E is for Emancipation.

Fields to Wall

Source

Morning misted grass

Velvet brushed green

Beckons, cries out

For a child,

Shoeless and wild.

Race across bare grass

With bare feet

Unfettered and free.

Hedge to stone wall,

Run and invite all

Follow, come, join...

Weeping eyes reply,

Cannot run, sadly sigh...

Travel ahead and discover

Fields touched by many.

Through golden gorse,

Beneath rowan trees,

Still, but for wren and sparrow hawks.

Come, follow...

There is yet another

Field awaiting,

Weeping eyes.

Island of Eye/panoramio...Google maps