An optical illusion? No it is just a miniature desk with a rather beautiful down feather, not sure which bird, chaffinch maybe, LS reckons it is an owl. Floated down onto the lawn, and reminded me of course of Hildegarde of Bingen and 'A Feather on the breath of God' sung by Emma Kirby.
I think just the words capture the imagination, a bit like fairy stories, one sees the feather slowly descending from above,
The actual words of Hildegarde are slightly different though;
Listen: there was once a king sitting on his throne. Around him stood great and wonderfully beautiful columns ornamented with ivory, bearing the banners of the king with great honour. Then it pleased the king to raise a small feather from the ground and he commanded it to fly. The feather flew, not because of anything in itself but because the air bore it along. Thus am I '"A feather on the breath of God."[
Occasionally one peers always into the depths of the wood for movement for just a moment of lightness, the mythical unicorn moving against the dark of the trees, a goblin creeping stealthly along the path. Which reminds me of another tale... The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh.
The actual words of Hildegarde are slightly different though;
Listen: there was once a king sitting on his throne. Around him stood great and wonderfully beautiful columns ornamented with ivory, bearing the banners of the king with great honour. Then it pleased the king to raise a small feather from the ground and he commanded it to fly. The feather flew, not because of anything in itself but because the air bore it along. Thus am I '"A feather on the breath of God."[
Occasionally one peers always into the depths of the wood for movement for just a moment of lightness, the mythical unicorn moving against the dark of the trees, a goblin creeping stealthly along the path. Which reminds me of another tale... The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh.
Beautiful miniature desk and such a lovely feather - not sure what it is from but I often see them in the garden. Thanks for reminding me of Emma Kirby. In my previous life I played harsichord in an Early Music Ensemble and she was always my idol.
ReplyDeleteI think that desk came as a 'flat pack' it took ages to glue the little drawer handles. I like Emma Kirby as well, but seem to have lost a lot of her music.
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