*

… By Fox!

That is ‘Mister…’ to you.

‘C.J.’ – Charles James…

*

Sue saw the Banner Torches, unlit.

I heard the drums.

We both said in unison, “That’s Fox!”

“What’s Fox?” said Gary.

“You’ll see.”

*

One second earlier and we would have missed them.

Any later and we would not have caught the full half-hour show.

‘Standing Stones’ – ‘Three Magicians’ – ‘The Pentagram’

‘Mrs Widge’ – ‘Stella’ – ‘Ducks’…

to name but a few of the dances.

And observing all, at the head of the Dancing Ground, the Krampus!

So strange, how things turn out…

*

The next morning we found ourselves at the highest point of the area.

The Lion Inn, is the sort of hostelry one could frequent all day, every day,

and would not mind in the slightest getting snowed in to.

*

Coffee’s all round before taking in a trio of standing stones,

one of which, the third may just be a stoop…

And at the second we perform the third round of our ‘ritual’.

Just before the rain sets in.

*

Last of all is the church at Lastingham

and the reputed Crypt of St Cedd.

The possibility of his presence here, too, is ambivalent.

There is something, and we all feel it,

 though precisely what… is difficult to say.

*

In the pulsing crypt we perform our final ‘ritual’.

Wordless…

For we have each been working with

our ‘own’ words all weekend.

*

And the weighty matters at Whitby Abbey all those centuries ago

turned on a ruse involving keepers of the Keys to Heaven.

St Peter or St John, but then,

St John is the keeper, not of heaven,

but of a New Jerusalem.

*

Thought and Memory, can be wordless too,

so, it might be pertinent to ponder

just how those wide ranging ravens

communicate their wisdom to the High One?

He who, never eats and, for nourishment partakes only of wine.

‘By leaving space for Spirit’…

*

As we wave our goodbyes at the wood well.

I cannot help thinking the Wide Wanderer would have approved…

*

*

With thanks to organiser, Steve Tanham.