Friday, August 2, 2019

Stitches Made by Fairy Fingers



When I walk into the forest, the big old tree trunks lean their ears towards me, listening. I am singing the Forest Song……song of cedar, draped with Old Man’s Beard, so fine and soft-spun, it looks like small wingéd fairy folk may have stitched it onto the trees.



Perhaps they are peeping out at us, now, from under some mushrooms.





Who decorated the rock with green lace? Who planted the seeds that grew the flaming flowers sprouting on the rock-face?




Moss and seagrass are soft and sweet. Brother eagle, once he has woven his nest of twigs, will gather some to line his nest, so his chicks will have soft beds.




Magical beings live in the forest. Some we see; some hide themselves away. When all Two-Leggeds have gone home at the end of day, and the forest is returned to them, the creatures all come out. Wolf and bear pad softly along the forest trails.

This is the time of fairy-folk, who tiptoe about stitching moss and old man’s beard onto tall branches. Perhaps it is they who lay soft green along the rocks, on which to spread their fine china for fairy repasts under the light of the moon.

Brother Eagle was busy all day building his nest. He is tired now. But Sister Owl keeps watch from a fat, wide branch, her yellow eyes like lamps through the darkness, ready to alert the forest folk should unwelcome guests arrive.

When I visit, next day, the fairy dishes have long since been cleared away, and all of the creatures have hidden themselves, except for Brother Eagle, still working tirelessly at his nest. Strong and wide, it will last for generations of young eagles, who will take that mighty leap from its edge, springtime after springtime, as long as there is earth and water,  sky and tree.

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313 words for Magaly's Telling Tales Pantry of Prose prompt at 
Poets United:  Stitches. 

I didn't have a photo of old man's beard handy, but it looks JUST like an old man's beard, thin and scraggly, draped among the branches throughout the forest, like angel hair on a Christmas tree.

15 comments:

  1. I love the thought of fairyfolk stitching the nature while we aren't looking. And your description of industrious Brother Eagle makes me smile, especially when I think of its young doing the same, adding the quilt.

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  2. Sherry, yours reads like a children fairy tale. I really like how you show the forest as a seamstress; quietly stitching all kinds intricacies into existence. You are truly a nature lover, you see patterns that can sometimes be easily dismissed. Brilliant!

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  3. Magical prose, Sherry, and you wrote 313 words exactly! Your fairies stitching moss and old man’s beard have got me peeking out of the window, scanning the garden for signs of them!

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  4. Such a sweet bit of prose. I was utterly charmed by your beautiful descriptions.

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  5. You love of the wild come out beautifully in your writing Sherry.

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  6. Sheer magic and we all have to believe in fairies!

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  7. One needs an eye and a heart to feel the fairy's magic hands. So beautiful Sherry!

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  8. this is so magical, and why not? just look at all the patterns on every leaf, they are so beautiful, and yet different on every species. :)

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  9. Beautiful Sherry. How amazing that folk like you and I can see the stitches in nature, the lace, the quilts...I loved this so much. You truly have a heart for nature.

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  10. I love your true fairy tale Sherry! Magical yet full of the forests own miracles! The pictures coupled with the paragraphs are a wonderful addition! 😍

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  11. Ah! Nature and fairy folk always work together. I had this way of walking and seeing when I was very young. It's in my first book. I wonder where it went?

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  12. The eyes of your understanding are truly open to nature's stitches. Beautiful.

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  13. Wonderful! I really enjoyed the direction you went in with this piece, Sherry - and your photos are a forest treasure trove. A beautiful post!

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  14. This is lovely, and all as it should be. (Smile.)

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