A FAERIE ENCOUNTER


'Neath the dappling green shade, swaying overhead,

In the cool breath of a sweet scented breeze,

There taking my leisure, so much at ease,

Some delightful kind words, so gently said,

Sounds, I first thought, were the slow babbling brook,

But I was so sure, I heard the word, "Please,"

I laughed to myself, but needed to look.


To the crystal stream, flowing without pause,

But of course, there was nothing to be seen,

Where once a voice, in my thoughts there had been,

The heat of the day, most surely the cause,

Then again that voice spoke, "Look into the wood,"

"Over the stream, there I'm to be seen,"

"Because you're so kind and have always been good."


In the shade of an elm, a gentle glow,

A trick of the light, perhaps I did see,

In dapple lit shade, now what could there be,

What was it there, I simply did not know,

This cannot be true, my head turned away,

But something compelled, my soul within me,

To return my gaze, this warm summer's day.


"Yes, you can see me, I'm told by the trees,"

"It's all in your thoughts, what you can perceive,"

"I wish you to stay, not from this place leave,"

"To come here to meet me, this would me please,"

A sweet smiling thing whose view filled my eyes,

From out of the glow, I had to believe,

Shining so bright to delight and surprise.


Slowly and surely, no longer this place,

A mist gathered round, the air was quite still,

Such heady sweet scent, my senses to thrill,

And now so clearly I glimpsed her true face,

A thousand words spoke, no sound did I hear,

That which I was told, my thoughts they did fill,

Then suddenly, gone, this place now quite clear.


No longer standing where this had begun,

Now over the brook, deep in the wood's shade,

A part of it all, now I had been made,

I heard the trees talking and with them was one,

Each creature's slight breath, I somehow felt all,

The brook's babbling sound, within my soul laid,

A meaning now known of nature's true call.


The day had but passed, in a moment's start,

Evening's light fading, dark night creeping in,

How to explain this and where to begin,

But why describe, with life I was now part,

I wished to stay here, her voice whispered, "No,"

"Throughout your life keep this knowledge within,"

"Take my love with you; now onwards you go."