Sprightly

 A really bright morning sunny and warm sprightly into the garden to weed and tidy.  Now exhausted.

 No matter how gently one moves the fatigue grounds you.

Come step you sprightly said my father

Tip your toe

Into the wide

The great blue wash of dawn

A dancing shawl of birdsong

Be about your head

Your coat of finest lawn

About your waist

A plaited sheaf

Of palest oaten straw

Bound about

With runeish ropes

Of ancient elvish lore

Set your face

Before your foe

With Autumn in his hair

His beard is set

With hoary frost

His eyes an icy glare

The western isles

Were at my feet

The northern star

At hand

I set my sails

Of burnished gold

And fled my ancient land

Now upon this alien shore

With little food or rest

I looked unto the ancient gods

To gird me for the  test

I had no weapons to my hand

Nor armour to my shield

The only vantage

Was my heart

And willingness to yield

We take thy purity of heart

And ask no more of you

Take the gladness of our souls

And that shall  see you through.   Sept 10 2011 JL

All Hail to the ring givers.