Sunday, January 05, 2014

Twelfth Night at London's Bankside

Wassail!!

Yea, verily it be twelfth night, and old London Town has been visited by the GREEN MAN!

He arrived by boat, the Thames Cutter, Trinity Tide (above), which was rowed by honourable men of great strength for the tide did flow most powerfully.

The ancient and legendary GREEN MAN brings fertility, a promise that SPRING will come again.

And he was welcomed by much crowds and the good and the great of SOUTHWARK:
But some were much afeared, as there were the forces of darkness to be overcome, for BEELZEBUB himself was to be cast out:
Stirred to great words were all present and "Wassail" did cry out not once, not twice, not thrice, but uncountable times, in praise of the RIVER and the GLOBE:

The Globe Wassail

Blowe wind, Globe bear well
Spring well in playing
Every lath and timber
Bear the tongues of poets
Next New Year's summer!

Wassail!

And then with great cheer the good folk of London Town went their separate ways, some by foot and some by the mighty River Thames:

The Boat Wassail

Blowe wind boat bear well
Ride well on the tide
Every beam and every sail
Bear the crew bravely home
Each sailing day!

Wassail!!


More from the Lions part here.

2 comments:

Greenman said...

Most excellent log Captain JP, it were a rocky river this year with many an up and down for our sterling TT crew to overcome. Well rowed everyone.
Greenman

JP said...

Thanks oh Greenman - it was a fun event to experience. I'd was at the Tate to see the Klee and heard it was on so made sure I left in time to catch the arrival of the Green Man.

The current was indeed strong though there were handy back eddies near the Bankside shoreline