THE MIRROR OF AVALON

Glastonbury is a nightmare
Avalon is a dream
The mirror mists with magic and myth
and tales of kings and queens.

Some say this is the planet's heart,
a chakra, one of only seven
Some say a temple of the stars
The land reflects a map of heaven

Here, so they say,
King Arthur lay beside his Guinevere.
Here they say a blossom bloomed
That came from Arimathea.

Glastonbury is a nightmare
Avalon is a dream
The mirror mists with magic and myth
and tales of kings and queens.

Before the Abbey was a church
not made by human hand
Twelve hermits met to mark the mass
The first church in this land.

An Abbey raised to the glory of God
torn down by lust and greed
Is now a sanctuary of peace
For a small entrance fee

Glastonbury is a nightmare
The holy thorn defaced
By those who do not understand 
the magic of this place.

Glastonbury is a nightmare
where juggernauts hold sway
The people squeezed against the wall
Out on the Chilkwell way

to where we see St Michael's tower,
a church by dragon's power struck down.
A pulse that beats across the Earth,
draws people in from miles around.

They come to dance, they come to pray
They come to hear the music play
Some come in search of mystic treasures
Some are pilgrims, some seek pleasure.

You can spot the wizards, they have pointy beards
You can spot the pixie people, they have pointy ears

Some come seeking arcane knowledge
Some seek an invisible college
And often those who come are changed
Some are blessed and some deranged

Where starlings murmur and bitterns boom
You may find a grail to sooth your wounds
Find nature's magic in this place
where myths and magic interlace.

Where dragons dance, the white and red
where Bridie spins a delicate thread
And maybe we're not all believers
but in this tapestry we're all weavers

And yes, there is much here to treasure
Right here, this room, these bards, our friends.
Mystic or not we share our breathing
Inspired by mysteries again.

If Glastonbury is a nightmare
and Avalon a dream
The mirror reflects our magic power
We all are kings and queens.

You all are Gods and Goddesses
(like everybody else)
I'm blessed enough to have some mead
I'll raise it now to your good health.

MAY GLASTONBURY FLOURISH!
© Stephen Radford 2022