Fairies have been around since the morning of the world, and no doubt they will walk with us into our final night. As with any elemental force, fairies do well enough if left to their own devices, but now and then they cross our paths, or we cross theirs. The consequences of such meetings may be tragic, comical, romantic or dangerous. Come along with me and watch what happens when the strands of fate are tangled with the fay.

Traditionally, Fernseed was one of the ingredients mortals used to help them to see the realms of the fairies.

The first stop in our Fernseed tour introduces us to a young man who fell in love with a fairy girl. He realizes this is not a good idea, and he knows full well what measures he could, and probably should, have taken to avoid his fate. On the other hand ... could this winsome, lissome child of night mean him any harm?

Epiphany

Epiphany in silvered green, pale hair afloat as thistledown, in cloth of silk simplicity so barely shaped to make a gown;

those eyes of cool unearthly sheen should truly turn away from mine.

My winsome, lissome, child of night, may you be mine in clear daylight?

Cold nails of iron should I have wrought and smithed to hold my horse's shoes, for safety and immortal soul, beguilement must my heart refuse;

and bland fulfillment may I court in flirting maids, and stand apart

from fairygirl in silvered green with eyes of cool unearthly sheen.

So deep within the oakwood's clasp, with salt and rue upon my tongue,

I rest beside a secret burn, that rippled when the world was young, and wrestle in temptation's grasp, to hover, heartsick, on the cusp

of nails of iron I should have wrought this bland fulfillment, must I court?

To burn the lust within my mind, these might-have-beens I'll cauterize while kneeling at this gentle bank, the spot whence she besought my eyes,

and here, if fate might be so kind, shall I forget my heart's demand

as deep within the oakwood's clasp

I wrestle in temptation's grasp.

From watch to watch I kneel and stay, while isolating every dream, and winding skeins of bitter gall to leave my soul again pristine;

but still I find my heart at bay and in my secret hope's employ

to burn the lust within my mind and end it now, should fate be kind.

Yet while I bid my life be changed, and give farewell to hopeless fire, the air bestirs in playful dance, puts on my lover's sweet attire,

and in this moment I'm estranged with all my doubting fears expunged.

From watch to watch I'll kneel and stay my heart no longer held at bay.

My winsome, lissome, child of night steps from the oakwood's soft embrace, to tryst with me beside the burn in clovered kiss and heathered taste

as not before in clear daylight, yet by the fey enchantment wrought.

No more I bid my life be changed!

In this fair while, I'm not estranged.

Epiphany, the oak is ours, the Earth-of-morning trickled burn, in clover honey and the sigh of rainswept leaves, enlightened fern;

my love, my lady of the flowers enchanted while my form allures...

My winsome, lissome, child of night,

Epiphany of my delight.

Afterword

Cold iron was reckoned to be a protection against fairies, while rue and salt are both considered magical. The oak is one of the traditional fairy trees and a burn is a Scottish creek or stream.

The lady we meet in this next poem is growing old. She remembers her youth, and the fairy man she loved and lost, but as the scent of apples steals around her, she believes she will see him again sometime.

Apple Time

Apple scent comes stealing when I am unaware, in rosy-glowing wholesomeness, nostalgic, and so dear.

I turn my face to yesterday, still smiling, though my eyes, are blurred with fairy rainbow mist of time-enchanted fear...?

Fear and love are hand in hand should mortal meet a fairy man.

The scent of apples, ripened in the autumn afternoons, bestirs my painful longing as the spell-eternal binds.

I turned my heart from wanting his (the key is locked and gone)

but when the apples ripen old encounters come to mind.

Encounters are enchanting pain should mortal take a fairy swain.

The fault's my own, if you should ask. No blame belongs to him.

We met in gentle apple days around the harvest-home.

Perched among the buxom fruit he smiled in merry phase, and when I chanced to meet his eyes my destiny had come.

Destiny's a fickle find should mortal love the fairy kind.

I felt the spin of Fortune's wheel, the chatter of her dice.

I saw it dawning in his face; incredulous surprise!

From lofty bough he floated then and, courtly, kissed my hand, our gazes met, so did our hearts in perilous surmise.

Peril lies in every part should mortal win a fairy heart

He loved me through the apple time, a miracle unknown his flesh was warm and tangible, devotion made me bold;

but as the apples faded, and the leaves came spinning down my fairy idyll ended, for my sister saw--and told.

Kin are not inclined to trust should mortals glow with fairy dust.

My lover of the apple tree, my darling of the green, held me close and vowed to raise my angry father's ban.

I had to turn away from him; I saw the road ahead...?

the leather boots of mortals are ill-fit for fairy men.

How could I force the workaday

of mortal life on fairy ways?

My heart is locked in apple time, the sepia of days, the yellow leaves are counterpaned while retro-autumn skies are shifting in a maze of cloud, with tears of lucid rain, that take me back when loving visions drift before my eyes.

Loving visions shall remain should mortal fairy lover gain.

Very soon the apple time will grant immortal charm.

The years have gone their quiet way, as sight is growing dim;

my lover pressed an apple leaf (once) in my stubborn hand, so when I weary of the world, then I shall go to him.

It's possible, you understand should mortal love a fairy man.

Afterword

Fairies are wont to fool mortals with a gift of what seems to be gold but which proves to be dead leaves in the morning. This fairy has done the opposite, giving his lover a seeming leaf that is really a passport to his realm.