The Wind and the Rain (from Twelfth Night) by William Shakespeare

When that I was a little tiny boy,

With a hey, ho, the wind and the rain,

A foolish thing was but a toy,

For the rain it raineth every day.

But when I came to man's estate,

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,

'Gainst knaves and thieves men shut the gate,

For the rain it raineth every day.

But when I came, alas! to wive,

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,

By swaggering could I never thrive,

For the rain it raineth every day.

But when I came unto my beds,

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,

With toss-pots still had drunken heads,

For the rain it raineth every day.

A great while ago the world begun,

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,

But that's all one, our play is done,

And we'll strive to please you every day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrqLDlOlldA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGGkL2mMsEo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO1-2KF5mhY

THE TURNING OF THE YEAR AND GOODBYE 2016

The Yuletide and Christmas has all but gone, the New Year of 2017 creeps nearer and is welcomed in its’ approach. It is I think true for many, that 2016 has not been the best of years and a near countless number of us now look forward to a fresh start.

In the context and world of politics, war and violence, murder, mayhem and much else besides, the general perception is that 2016 has been one of the worst years in living memory. There are many who will remember 2016 for the number of celebrity deaths, others for the acts of terrorism conducted by self-proclaimed armies and by official police and military forces, for what is war but legalised terror and murder?

Equally; these deaths of world leaders and celebrities, raise many questions about our western society. Why does the death of a celebrity touch us so deeply? Is the life of a celebrity, any more important than that of refugee drowned in the Mediterranean? Are their lives more important than a neighbour? Do only celebrity lives matter today?

I certainly look forward to a fresh start, recognising that both 2015 and 2016 have been marred by ill health and many personal difficulties. This has left me far behind with the many projects that I have, within my as yet unfinished portfolio and I sincerely hope that 2017 will see some of these complete, finished and published.

These projects comprise of several blogs and pending reviews, including reports of some of the most important Craft events of the century so far. For it has to said, the year 2016 has been marked by gatherings of great importance and I have been fortunate to have attended them.

So like many of us today, I eagerly look forward to the departure of this tarnished year of 2016 and sincerely pray that 2017 will be a more productive, happier and healthier one. To all the readers of the blog I say this; I wish thee well, fear not the future and I hope that the coming year will be a blessed one for all of us.

Benisons to you all.

FFF. Chattering Magpie.

HANSEL AND GRETEL: A WARNING FOR THE YULETIDE

In this the approach to the Yuletide and Christmas, I wish to share with you and warn you of a traditional story still taught to our children. I refer to the Brothers Grimm tale of Hansel and Gretel.

In this tale a harmless old woman, allegedly a Witch; living alone in the woods and sharing gingerbread with passing children, is pushed into an oven and roasted by two ungrateful brats.

This action is obviously an allusion to the burning times, when an average of three million feminist Wiccans per century, over three consecutive centuries were “roasted” by the church. Although, this is a staggering figure when the population of Medieval Europe, is actually taken into account. However, I digress.

Our children are actively being taught to discriminate and persecute Witches, mad cat ladies and people who like ginger bread. It is time to make a stand lest the Burning Times return. I ask you, have we forgotten Magna Carta? Did she die in vain?

© Chattering Magpie 2011 with the special acknowledgement of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Ray Galton, Alan Simpson and Anthony Aloysius St John Hancock.

QURAN 81 (1-14)

When the sun is overthrown,

And when the stars fall,

And when the hills are moved,

And when the camels big with young are abandoned,

And when the wild beasts are herded together,

And when the seas rise,

And when souls are reunited,

And when the girl-child that was buried alive is asked;

For what sin she was slain,

And when the pages are laid open,

And when the sky is torn away,

And when Hell is lighted,

And when the garden is brought nigh,

Then every soul will know what it hath made ready.

HYMN TO PAN BY JOHN FLETCHER

SING his praises that doth keep

Our flocks from harm,

Pan, the father of our sheep;

And arm in arm

Tread we softly in a round,

Whilst the hollow neighbouring ground

Fills the music with her sound.

Pan, O great God Pan, to thee

Thus do we sing!

Thou who keepst us chaste and free

As the young spring:

Ever be thy honour spoke

From that place the morn is broke

To that place day doth unyoke!

The Oxford Book of English Verse, Oxford: Clarendon Press 1919

DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING?

[Enjolras:]

Do you hear the people sing?

Singing a song of angry men?

It is the music of a people

Who will not be slaves again!

When the beating of your heart

Echoes the beating of the drums

There is a life about to start

When tomorrow comes!

[Combeferre:]

Will you join in our crusade?

Who will be strong and stand with me?

Beyond the barricade

Is there a world you long to see?

[Courfeyrac:]

Then join in the fight

That will give you the right to be free!

[All:]

Do you hear the people sing?

Singing a song of angry men?

It is the music of a people

Who will not be slaves again!

When the beating of your heart

Echoes the beating of the drums

There is a life about to start

When tomorrow comes!

[Feuilly:]

Will you give all you can give

So that our banner may advance

Some will fall and some will live

Will you stand up and take your chance?

The blood of the martyrs

Will water the meadows of France!

[All:]

Do you hear the people sing?

Singing a song of angry men?

It is the music of a people

Who will not be slaves again!

When the beating of your heart

Echoes the beating of the drums

There is a life about to start

When tomorrow comes

From the musical Les Misérables by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc Natel (French lyrics), Herbert Kretzmer (English lyrics) and James Fenton (English additional lyrics).

JERUSALEM BY WILLIAM BLAKE (1757 – 1827)

And did those feet in ancient time,

Walk upon England's mountains green?

And was the holy Lamb of God,

On England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine,

Shine forth upon our clouded hills?

And was Jerusalem builded here,

Among these dark Satanic Mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!

Bring me my arrows of desire!

Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!

Bring me my chariot of fire!

I will not cease from mental fight,

Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,

Till we have built Jerusalem,

In England's green and pleasant land.

BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD: FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH (1967)

Here’s something happening here.

What it is ain't exactly clear.

There’s a man with a gun over there.

Telling me I got to beware.

I think it's time we stop, children, what’s that sound?

Everybody look what's going down.

There's battle lines being drawn.

Nobody’s right if everybody's wrong.

Young people speaking their minds.

Getting so much resistance from behind.

I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound?

Everybody look what's going down.

What a field-day for the heat.

A thousand people in the street.

Singing songs and carrying signs.

Mostly say, hooray for our side.

It’s time we stop, hey, what's that sound?

Everybody look what's going down.

Paranoia strikes deep.

Into your life it will creep.

It starts when you're always afraid.

You step out of line, the man come and take you away.

We better stop, hey, what's that sound?

Everybody look what's going down.

Stop, hey, what's that sound?

Everybody look what's going down.

Stop, now, what's that sound?

Everybody look what's going down.

Stop, children, what's that sound?

Everybody look what's going down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp5JCrSXkJY