Two Swans on the Arun
Every summer for five years or so years I used to celebrate the summer solstice with an ex-Vicar General of the Roman Catholic church, Tim Firth. Sadly Tim has died, but I was so glad he contacted me all those years ago, saying “I have a beautiful oak tree in our garden and I’d love to hold solstice ceremonies there.” By that time he had left the church and was ‘of no fixed abode’ as he light-heartedly called his spiritual path. The oak was magnificent and stood just where the river Arun took an almost right-angle turn through his garden. Tim and his wife Elisabeth invited friends each time, and we had a talk and discussion, with tea and cakes after the ritual. Here is a beautiful song that reminds me of those times, written for and performed on the bowed psaltery by Philippa Anne Reed, and inspired by watching a swan pair swimming on the River Arun, near Arundel, West Sussex.
8 Responses to “Two Swans on the Arun”
Thank you for this lovely story. As an ex-Catholic myself I can identify with being, spiritually, “of no fixed abode”.
Beautiful!
I am spellbound by this beautiful song and images to match. Thank you for sharing…xxx
Exquisite blend of music, word and image
Thank you so much for sharing this just now!
Thank you so much for sharing my music Philip, and I’m glad it helped elicit some happy memories . I am taking the Bardic grade this year, and am coming to a talk you are giving at Fintry House in May. I look forward to meeting you then!
I look forward to meeting you Philippa! Your song is so beautiful and as you can see from the comments here and on my Facebook page, others feel that way too!
Exquisite music and scenes. A beautiful love story of the swans and our beautiful Earth. Thank you.
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