"Oberon"

Our baby Oberon.   His Registered name is Buck,
his "barn" name was originally Murphy

Oberon

Don't let innocent eyes and wobbly knees fool you,
for long sooty lashes and hesitant step belie a trickster,
though young this fairy's portrait may be.  Born Murphy,

this warrior now thick of chest and round of rump,
can arch a studly neck, lift tail arabesque,
race off as if tracked by Cat Sith
leaving us at pasture gate.  (which we forgive)

More oft he teases, this King of Fairies, our Oberon,
nuzzles one's neck with whiskery kiss,
greets with low-throated nicker,
pricks ears forward and blinks a wink.

(and as if under an ancient spell, we fall for it
every single time)

by Margaret Bednar, April 20, 2018

Oberon

Cat sith - said to resemble large black cat with white spot on chest.  Legend has it that the spectral cat haunts the Scottish Highlands.  A few Irish folklore mention it too.  Some say it wasn't a fairy, but a witch that could transform into a cat nine times.

Murphy - Irish meaning is sea warrior/ battler

This is linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Imagined by Brendan MacOdrum - Mythical Creatures"  I am not well versed in this subject matter and he did give me a bit of an out with "put your beloved pet in a folktale, or walk a mile in an animal's paws.   It is not a tale - but I liken him to a fairy (Shakespeare's character, Oberon, and after which I named him) and tried to weave a couple Irish or Scottish mythological creatures into this poem.

also participating with NaPoWriMo 2018.

I am also swamped this weekend with my two high school girls being in the musical Cinderella - My senior daughter is Cinderella and my freshman daughter is a step-sister.  I have little time to write these past few days, so that is another reason for my bending the rules a bit (hope you don't mind Brendan)  I will read and comment after I return from the evening shows!  

Politics as Usual

Politics as Usual

Passionate, broad-minded, and fair -
so we claim to be

yet the taught red line
drawn between us

quivers with irascible fear
where no reasonable voice is heard

as most are shouting
and others have fingers jammed in their ears.

by Margaret Bednar, February 17, 2018


If the dynamics don't change - if the vitriol and intolerance for ideas (I mean LOOK at the colleges today... they are afraid of diverse rhetoric and thought!  - it's "think like me or you offend me".)  but I digress...  doesn't stop, we are doomed to only get worse.    Our politicians on both sides are in it for the money and power - I mean please, point out one politician who is truly bi-partisian and is concerned for the good of our country and not securing a job in Washington D. C.

Let's start with: Term Limits, one six-year Presidency (no second term, NO campaigning), and I'd love to see a viable third party one of these days.

This is linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Imagined by Brendan MacOdrum, Hasta La Vista, Wormtail: Satiric Verses"  My feeble attempt at satire.

"The Turning of Things"

The Turning of Things

I often lost myself in Garland's voice,
a young girl believing beyond the rainbow was possible;
eyes closed, hammock rocking gently,
cat curled into my side, sang along prayerfully, quietly,
low notes almost a vibrato.

I'd hear bees bumbling about mother's perennials
attracted to the fantasia of color amidst arcs, bows, curves
of buds and blossoms;

my favorite the iris, or "eiris"
imagined the Greek goddess delivering messages for the gods
from the Underworld or souls Heavenward -

recall the day I sprinkled purple petals upon kitty's grave,
watched a few butterfly off upon summer's breeze
knew they escorted his spirit over rainbow's arch
as I hummed "once in a lullaby"

and sometimes a part of me, as I drift asleep,
goes back before the turning of things,
before my childish heart took a backseat
and I simply believed.

by Margaret Bednar, April 29, 2017

This is linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Imagined by Brendan - Penultimatums: Voyages' End (Almost)"