Happy approaching Solstice to one and all.

It’s been a while since I posted a blog, so much has gone on over the past couple of years my head has not been in the right space for it. I have wondered if my blathering on about some personal existential crisis or random thought really had any comfort for others, particularly when the whole world seems to have lost its collective plot. However, I have been persuaded to tap out a little post in an attempt to bring a bit of levity to the generally dystopian vibe.

We have just returned home from the Anderida Gorsedd Summer Solstice celebration at the Long Man of Wilmington, for which I wrote a celebratory Mummer’s play. I know, I know, this is a winter tradition but the Awen struck so what could I do except follow through on the sacred breath?

I have to say the fabulous volunteers who took the play on were brilliant, they made this amateur script come alive with their excellent performances. I could not be happier with how it all went down, I had all the pantomime cheers, boos, and engagement I could have hoped for. The players took it and ran with it, adding such gusto and magic with their fantastic hamming it up, playing for the laughs, and generally having great fun.

A number of folks asked me to share the script, so being an obliging sort I am including it here for your amusement. Now if you are expecting a tightly versed, well-rhymed piece, all sprinkled with sparkling wit, don’t be too harsh. This is my first attempt at a play from scratch and it was completed in just two days flat.

A little gift of mirth and reverence for the changing of the hours, enjoy, and may the shifting energy of the year bring you blessings of peace, love, and joy, whether it be waxing or waning.

Summer Solstice 2022
(A Mummer’s play by Cerri Lee June 2022)

(Enter The Good Green Earth, looking green and full)
In comes I the Good Green Earth.
Green of face and wide of girth.

Pleasant people of every persuasion,
Good Morrow I say to you,
The long the short, the old, the new,
the ones with four legs or only two!
A play we bring for your delight,
a story both of dark and light.

It’s a Summer Solstice bright and merry we make bold to call,
with offence made to none or else to all.
In our exuberant speeches may you find, a deal of merriment and great mirth,
And to boot,
a decent dose of reverence for myself, the Earth.

Harken to our little ditty, it has fine words and the costumes are quite pretty.
Harken deeper to the lore within and feel an ancient magic rise therein.

What now do I hear? A new player draws near!

(Enter in the Radiant Sun, looking vibrant, powerful, and full of energy, looks like it’s been out jogging, and eyes up the Green earth with )

In comes I the Radiant Sun,
Up at dawn another race to run.

Aah, the dulcet tones of my love draw me in,
Such a vision all in green.
What say you my turtle dove?
A play you say?
All upon this Solstice day.
Come now this I need to see,
Especially as it’s all about Meee!

I’m here my people, observe me in all my glory.
I’m at my peak, I am at my best,
Look see I even have a joggers vest!

All ready for a day of adoration, worship and.. (The GGEarth rolls their eyes)

Sun says: Oh, what’s that I hear, another player drawing near?

(In walks the Long Man riding a Dragon/Horse, with a double-sided head, one side is a horse and one a dragon)

In comes I the Long Man,
Across the chalk hills, a giant striding.
Elsewhere I’m a white horse riding.
Or perhaps I’m a fiery Dragon.

I am Herald of days long gone,
Echoing tales of old John Barley Corn.
An enigma on which you still ponder,
An ancient Sovereign of awe and wonder.
On the subject of who or what,
Man, Horse or Dragon,
it matters not,
You lot can see whatever you want.

See now, who follows in my wake?
It’s Oak and Holly, making the earth shake and quake, (Earth looks bemused)
A worthy story to help celebrate the shifting of the days,
The trees fight each Solstice for the crown,
To win the favours of this green and gracious land.
An endless struggle of power lost and love re-found.

(Oak and Holly come in sword fighting around the circle)

Long Man says: But hark another player comes this way

(Enter old Dicky Dawkins the naysayer – waving a sword of truth and chases the Long Man about the circle)
In comes I, old Dicky Dawkins,
I come with some common sense for this audience!

I’ve come to kill your monsters!
I’ve come to slay them dead,
All these daft stories filling your heads,
This kind of stuff is just for kids!

Anyone with a rational brain can see,
The Earth and the Sun are not living beings,
They’re just a bunch of random things,

That’s a giant ball of gas, (Points at the Sun, who looks affronted)
This is a randomly evolved collection of odds and sods. (Points at the Earth, who looks shocked)
And that is an outmoded relic of the past! (Points at the Long Man who looks bewildered)
It should be dead, it’s of no further use!

(Dawkins chases the Long Man around the circle and slays him and the Horse/Dragon then turns to the audience)

Dawkins says:
Don’t look so shocked,
Life and death have no real meaning,
These stories serve only to trouble our feelings.
We argue over ancient books
And over who has the right to decide the truth.

(The Oak and Holly stop fighting each other, look shocked at Dicky, then start chasing him around the circle swords raised.)

(A cry goes up from out of the circle and in comes the Druid Doctor, with robes and a stethoscope)

Oi, oi, In comes I the Druid Doctor.
What’s all this?
What’s this I cry, in astonishment and alarm!
Old Dicky Dawkins what’s the harm?!
Did you go kill that there Man, and Horse? (Druid examines the dead bodies looks a bit confused)
Or it could be a Dragon of course.

(Dicky and the two trees stop charging about the circle and look at the Druid Doctor)

Dawkins says:
Oh come, come now it’s just an old story,
No need to fuss or lament past glories!
There is no magic or mystery here,
We’re all grown-ups now,
No more need for sacred cows.

Druid Doctor says:
Sad for you old Dicky I say,
Sad for you to live each day,
With no magic or mystery beyond the mechanical,
With no sacred held in the botanical.
Just a random collection of atoms, so you say,
Oh, my friend life must seem so grey.

Dawkins says:
No, no, you misunderstand
It’s the endless arguments I can’t stand,
Man’s inhumanity to man!
It’s all driven by stories we no longer comprehend.

Druid Doctor says:
That’s all well and good,
But these are the stories of how to grow our food.
They brought meaning to a cruel existence,
Bought light to our endless darkness.
They feed us at the root,
Why would you kill it dead, you brute?

Direct your fervour toward those who ravage and pillage.
These are not the evil witches of the village, (well some of them might be witches)
Don’t ditch the old tales like a crazy berserker.
You’re just throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

(Sun, Earth and Horse/Dragon all fervently agree with the doctor)

Sun says:
Well said old wise and venerable Druid doctor,
This Dicky Dawkins is an imposter!
How dare he deny me my moment of glory,
Deny me a damn good story!

(Sun turns to Dicky and says)
I’ll have you know I am your father!

Dawkins Says (with a good bit of derision and sarcasm) :
Really?!

Suns say (a bit sheepishly):
Well no, not really but still…
You are interrupting my nice little play,
How would you like me to rain on your parade?

The Good Green Earth steps up (hands on hips) and says:
Come now one and all,
This is no way to behave,
This is getting far too grave.
There is no harm in our play,
It’s a simple celebration day.
We are gathered with open minds and hearts,
To celebrate this giant ball of Gas, (looks the Sun up and down)
For all it brings into our lives.
No one here is being deceived,
Rest your mind and be relieved.

Let’s all agree to get along,
And find harmony in a united song.

Druid Doctor steps up and says:
Hear, hear, hear, hear I say,
There is wisdom in the green and grey,
It’s true, that is why we need our plays,
That is why we revere the ancient ways,
They inspire us to keep our peace with the Earth,
And with the cycles of life, death, and rebirth.

I will tend to the ancients here,
Least they fade from our eyes and ears,

(Doctors fishes in their pocket and pulls out a bottle of medicine and heals the Long Man and his horse/Dragon)

Long Man and the Horse/Dragon Jump up and give Dicky Dawkins the side-eye, then offer a reconciling handshake. Dicky shakes their hand.

Dicky Dawkins says (reluctantly):
Well, fine, let’s agree to live and let live,
That’s the best I can give.
For even I can see the Sun deserves this righteousness call,
For being an epic gaseous ball.

(Sun looks pleased and then slightly aggrieved)

The Green Earth says:
This is our tale, it is done,
Its course has run.
This is a story as old as the hills,
With each breaking dawn, it’s told a new.
When we hold it in our hearts, we are all more than just the sum of our parts.