Folklore Friday: Finding fairies

Mystical thyme

"O, where are you going?" "To Scarborough fair,"
    [Parsley], sage, rosemary, and thyme;
"Remember me to a lass who lives there,
    For once she was a true love of mine.”

~from “Scarborough Faire”, a ballad or song that dates back to early-mid 17th century England.

Hello, dear readers. I took a much-needed break last week, but now I’m back with the last poem inspired by Scarborough Fair. It’s not the last Folklore Friday, however. I’m sharing the theme for the last four months of the year at the end of this post for paid subscribers.

Photo by Melanie Hauke on Unsplash

I couldn't resist the fairies.

According to Germanic and Danish folklore¹, you can find fairies near large swaths of thyme. Whether looking for fairies is a good idea or not, it seems safe enough exploring the idea in a poem, don’t you agree? This one is a cinquain.

Hidden

Sweet thyme

Frothy purple

Blossoms hide a secret

If you’re quiet, perhaps you’ll see

Fair folk.

©Stephanie Ascough

The theme for the rest of 2024’s Folklore Friday is…