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| A Gypsy Life. A travelling world of magic and dreams. Image from; www.lizblair.blogspot.co.uk |
This week, following a recent editorial commission, I have been immersed in the folkloric tradition of gypsy magic. It is a subject that has always fascinated me and it's great to finally find an editor who shares my enthusiasm for this often misunderstood magical pathway. Look out for my work in the up-coming It's Fate Annual 2014, out later this year.
As I have been writing at my desk I have felt my sleeping spirit of adventure well and truly roused. I now long for nothing more than a gilded Romany caravan, a beautiful pony and a dark and handsome gypsy lover.
During the writing process I was reminded of the origin for one of the tracks on my Moon Chants album - Ballad of the Beltain Fire-Nymph was inspired by the idea of a beautiful gypsy temptress, dancing around a camp-fire. But she is more than she seems for she is actually a Fire-Nymph from the realm of Elphame or Faerieland, trying to ensnare a human lover with her seductive song and dance.
Originally this was just a poem written for my book The Wiccan Temptress, but space issues meant that the poetry wasn't included. The following year I expanded on the poem, adding a melody, chorus and bridge and included it on the album as a song instead. I always knew it would find its place. I am delighted that it is a track on my debut album.
Here is another gypsy inspired poem I wrote some years ago, that was included in one of the later editions of my book The Witch's Almanac.
Gypsy Dreams
To
sleep beneath the star-light
And
awaken with the dawn
To
breakfast on a tickled trout
Freshly
caught that morn
To
gather reeds and willows
And
weave them into baskets
To
sell them for a silver coin
To
fill the family casket
To
gather wild herbs
And
lots of lucky heather
To
sell to a farmer
A
charm for good weather
To
tell the time of day
By
the passing of the sun
To
'whisper' wild ponies
And
see how fast they run
To
gaze within a crystal ball
Or
deal the tarot cards
To
conjure up a love spell
To
make a heart less hard
To
dance around the camp-fire
And
tap the tambourine
To
share a hearty supper
And
then retire to dream
To
awaken with the cock crow
To
groom and harness horse
To
hitch up the vardo
And
continue on your course
To
live from day to day
And
travel far and wide
Could
anything be grander
Than
the Romany Gypsy life?
By Marie Bruce
I am sure that I shall be dreaming about mysterious Gypsy Princes all weekend long! May the road rise to meet you and the starlight guide your way. Until our next merry meeting. Blessed Be.
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