Butser Ancient Farm

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The Magic Beast

A recent sighting of a white deer on the farm prompted one of our facebook followers to share the beautiful poem below with us. Timothy had written the poem after a similar deer sighting nearby.  We thought it would be lovely to share, particularly as it's World Poetry Day today.Thank you Timothy Concannon for sharing your work with us.29365542_1574046092648580_9037364625516433208_n

The magic beast

See a flash, unexpected, against the trees

A herd of deer is there, but something’s strange.

A white hart, unearthly, among the rest

A magic sight, the stuff of legend,

Here in the hangars of my home,

Not fairyland.

......

Diana's beast, the quarry of Alexander

And Caesar, Charlemagne, Rustvun-Shad.

The badge of Richard Lionheart,

Lofty Enlil’s earthly form.

......

I stop the car, and stare, enchanted.

How long has she been in my woods?

A living unicorn!

The clue’s in Harting, that selfsame pub.

......

The hart looks over Torberry,

Rumoured town of Rome.

Does she seek her ancient master?

Will she lure him back again,

To drown like faithful Bran?

......

She's off! I cannot follow

To find her marble halls

And dozen handmaids under the Lake

like ancient Rustvun

......

I muse, and dream of ancient times

And myth, and magic and ancient quests

I return to earth, and onward drive

But I still remember, that evening long ago

When a thing divine touched my mortal mind.

Timothy Thomas Concannon