Dark Queen

energies shift into vital negatives as the

dark queen awakens once more in the

embrace of the mother of autumn whose

hands overflow with an abundance of

blackberry and rosehip and sloe, now

the crone drips yew berries from her

fingertips and toadstools spring beneath

her feet as she stalks her way through

darkening days, gathering the fallen to

her wizened bosom, she weeps icicle

tears in remembrance of summers past:

lady of death, guardian of the night, in

her grasp rests all hope for future growth

This post is for day 116 of 365 Days Wild, when I spent quite some time sitting beneath the yew tree down near the pond.

Not only are yew trees long-lived, but the drooping branches of old trees can also root and form new trunks where they touch the ground. This has led to it being used to symbolise immortality and rebirth, and change and regeneration after difficult times. It is sometimes known as the Tree of Life. But, as life and death go hand in hand, the Yew tree also symbolises death. Every part of it except for the berries are poisonous, with the needles being particularly toxic.

I also spotted a few toadstools – which I doubt is a surprise to anyone! I barely had to move out of my place to photograph them. It doesn’t matter where in the little woodland I sit at the moment, there are toadstools popping up everywhere.