Attaining Étaíne

When Étaín was a little girl

She read her faerie tales aloud

To flowers, frogs, and butterflies;

A chipmunk by the name MacLeod.

One spring a dragonfly flew by;

 "MacLeod," he asked, "how can we know

If worms become big butterflies,

Or girls into goddesses grow?"

"You buzz our pond and ponder thoughts

Dressed in fear and dreary-dread,

Those frogs upon the Lotus pods

Once were tadpoles," MacLeod then said.

"Unlike those frogs and butterfies,

And dragonflies that buzz in fear,

A chipmonk I shall always be,"

Confessed MacLeod, wiping a tear.

"You silly, willy dragonflly,"

Etain laid down her book and said.

"You little chipmonk named MacLeod,

Jump on my lap and rest your head.

"Etain was once a butterfly

For seven years on rocks at sea;

A little girl I've now become,

Yet I'll change once more, you shall see!

"A Faery Princess told me once,

Her name was Psyche, Greek I'm told,

That butterflies and little girls

Are cabbage from a holy soul.

"Whilst little boys are dragonflies,

Dressed in fear and dreary-dread;

One day faeries we'll all become,

'Neath pretty rainbows overhead.

"Now one day soon my King will come,

And into his arms, I shall fly;

A dragonfly to help me soar,

A butterfly to help him cry."

"Etain, this King of yours do tell,

Is he real or a shadow's glow?

We chipmunks heard, you know it well,

Some dragonflies are bred below!"

"MacLeod have faith, I'm not bespelled;

Though Kings may come and Kings may go,

When my King comes, my heart shall sing

Of love eternally betrothed."

Like Kings, the seasons come and go,

From planted seeds the blossoms bloom;

Then swept away by winter's snow

When February brings her gloom.

Ascended now to stars above,

Étaín recalls the girl so proud

Who loved a chipmunk named McLeod

And read to butterflies aloud.

Remembering well the magic found

Upon sweet rosy, sacred ground;

When faeries danced, the flowers grew

Where Étaín's life began anew.

Étaín, a goddess then became,

The Shining One 'twas her name;

'Tis love not spells such magic brings

To hopes and dreams of Queens and Kings.

So listen little girls and boys;

Read books as well as play with toys.

Étaín who was a little girl

Became a goddess for your world.

You dragonflies and butterflies,

And chipmonks by the name MacLeod,
Green cabbage grows in shades of gray,
So judge ye not - O, by the way,

Étaín's King learned a thing or two,

'Fore to this world, he bid adieu.

When he said huh? it did not please;

So he learned  pardonez with ease.

Attain Étaín by things like these!

Now mind your manners when you sneeze,
Love your daddy and mommy too;
Sweet dreams my dear, Étaín loves you.

Copyright, Toney 2008