I have fairies in my garden. Do you?
This week I went back to school for the first time since mid-March. I’m just back 3 days a week for now. And I noticed 2 things–first, it’s great to be back with the children! I didn’t realize how much I missed them until I saw them again. Spending time with them helped me remember the magic that is all around. Like the fairies in my garden. Second–I’m exhausted. I’m out of practice for spending my day with kiddos. (Also, we’re outside most of the day and it’s really hot, especially in the afternoon, which adds to my tiredness).
The fairies in my garden.
I’ve also been going through my old journals looking for hidden treasures. I came across this poem a wrote about 5 years ago about the fairies in my garden. I polished it up a bit and thought I’d share it. I’d really like to illustrate it–but the day got away from me, so maybe next time!
I don’t remember thinking a lot about fairies when I was little, but I learned about fairies and gnomes when I took Gabi to parent-child classes at the Waldorf school. We built fairy houses and I found myself enchanted. I found this lovely little book–Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden? by Betsy Williams. It’s a charming little book–I highly recommend it if you love fairy lore. You can also read my post about fairy houses. I shared this activity with my daughters and all of my classes–children and parents. We all loved it!
Do you have fairies in your garden? I do–the poem
What do the fairies do all day
In the garden in the sun?
They sing and dance, work and play
And all of it is fun.
I do not think they notice me
For they pay me no mind
But I can watch them endlessly
When it rains and when it shines.
They take care of leaves and flowers
They dust them with such ease
And wash their petals when it showers
Then dry them in the breeze.
In late afternoon, when the sun beams hot
They stop to drink their tea.
In the shade of the snapdragon’s flower pot
Fanned by the wings of bees.
But when the moon glows in the sky
And the children are snuggled in bed,
The fairies do not shut their eyes
but dance all night instead.
The katydids play fiddles
While the nightingales sing
The night is filled with giggles
As the fairies dance in a ring.
I wish I were a fairy
Dancing through the night
To the starry music
That lets my heart take flight.
More fairy magic
I recently posted a video on my YouTube Channel about the fairies washing day:
Poetry Friday
This week, Linda Mitchell hosts Poetry Friday. Check out her in one word poem (she explains what that is in the post) called “American” in honor of the 4th of July. And see what other poets have to say–or add your post!
Happy Independence day.
And thanks for stopping by.
xoxo
Susan! What a delightful post. Your first line, “I have fairies in my garden. Do you?” hooked me. And, the playful rhyme in your poem shows your talent for writing for children–no small feat! I think I love the idea of a snapdragon’s flower pot the best. As a kid, I would totally imagine a real snap-dragon. lol. I wonder how my middle school kids AND I will do with school again this fall. I’ll bet we all sleep better at night. Wishing you rest and lots of good writing time too.
It’s hard to imagine what school–or the world– will be like in the fall for all of us! But I do know it’s good to gather together with the children–and they are so happy to be with friends and back at school. In the meantime, I hope you are having a lovely summer.
So much fairy fun in this post! Here in Switzerland gnomes are all the rage. They are EVERYwhere – public and private gardens, walkways, lake shores. What I find most interesting is that no one disturbs them, steals them, vandalizes them. They are almost sacred. (As a point of reference, there is more graffiti here than I’ve ever seen when I lived in the US.) And thanks for the finger play video – fun!
That’s wonderful that gnome are so popular there! We talk about them a lot in the Waldorf early childhood, but I always think about fairies in the summer.
I love that description of the fairies’ tea!
Thank you!