Glare Report 10/16/04: Fire and Ice, Jacks and Kings

Continuing to read Fire & Ice: The History of the Saint Paul Winter Carnival by Moira Harris. Yesterday I read the chapter on the St. Paul Winter Carnival "legend" and how it has been developed through the years, and I thought about how it should be reflected in the novel.( Read more )

Poetry

Gacked from everybody on my friends list: post a bit of poetry.

This is from a collection of poetry I loved as a child, All the Silver Pennies edited by Blanche Thompson

Souls by Fannie Stearns Davis

My Soul goes clad in gorgeous things,
Scarlet and gold and blue,
And at her shoulder sudden wings
Like long flames flicker through.

And she is swallow-fleet, and free
From mortal bonds and bars.
She laughs, because Eternity
Blossoms for her with stars!

O folk who scorn my stiff gray gown,
My dull and foolish face,
Can ye not see my Soul flash down,
A singing flame through space?

And folk, whose earth-stained looks I hate,
Why may I not divine
Your Souls, that must be passionate,
Shining, and swift as mine?

[The opening epigram to this book, by the way, gave me the name of the magic shop ("The Silver Penny") where Elias met Lizzie in The Wild Swans]:

If you find one, you are lucky.
Hold it tightly in your hand
You must have a silver penny
To get into Fairyland.

Happy birthday!

Wow, Happy Birthday wishes going out to a bunch of people: splagxna, desayunoencama and sociofemme. Hope you've had a terrific day, celebrating in the way you like best.