Inspiration in the Everyday

I just finished up a writers’ retreat in Forres, Scotland. As I write this, I’m in Edinburgh, enjoying a couple of days touring the castle, looking for fairies in the nearby museum, and seeing what lovelies there are in Waterstones that I can’t possibly live without and must purchase.

Anyway, one of the sessions during the retreat was on finding inspiration in the everyday…observation, conversation, dreams, photos, etc. Then, we were sent outside to put what we learned into action. Outside?! But…we’re authors! Slaves to the indoors!

Luckily for me, our retreat was held at the historic Burgie House. And their grounds have a lychgate! (pictured here) It inspired me, and this is what I came up with:

PASS THROUGH THE LYCHGATE

I vaguely knew the stories

But time and distance made them fuzzy

Watch your step as you pass through the lychgate

Carry a river rock in your pocket

Don’t whistle in the woods

Keep an eye out for fairy circles

And don’t fall for the fair folk’s tricks and traps

A pretty feather

A shiny pebble

A ripe wild strawberry out of season

Lest you want to join the merry tricksters

Dancing under the moonlight

Singing until you lose your voice

Getting drunk on dandelion wine

And forgetting your family, your loves ones

Your sense of self

Your life

Or maybe that’s what you seek

An escape

If so, pick up that feather

Stick it in your pocket

Walk back through the gate

And wait for the fair folk to spirit you away