Paganistan: Notes from the Secret Commonwealth

In Which One Midwest Man-in-Black Confers, Converses & Otherwise Hob-Nobs with his Fellow Hob-Men (& -Women) Concerning the Sundry Ways of the Famed but Ill-Starred Tribe of Witches.

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Hail! Hail! The First of May-O

Inspired by the May traditions of Padstow, Cornwall, Dave Webber's May Song is a fine modern Beltane song in traditional idiom, heard here in a rousing performance by Magpie Lane.

The traditional May Day Hobby Horse's dance of sex, death, and resurrection has no known historical connection with the widespread and deeply sacred horse-sacrifices of the ancient Indo-European world.

None whatsoever.

May Song

Winter time has gone and past-o,
Summer time has come at last-o.
We shall sing and dance the day
And follow the 'obby 'orse that brings the May.

So, Hail! Hail! The First of May-o!
For it is the first summer’s day-o!
Cast your cares and fears away,
Drink to the old horse on the First of May!

Blue bells they have started to ring-o,
And true love, it is the thing-o.
Love on any other day
Is never quite the same as on the First of May!

Chorus

Never let it come to pass-o
We should fail to raise a glass-o!
Unto those now gone away
And left us the 'obby 'orse that brings the May!

Chorus

(repeat first verse)

 

Tune and Lyrics: Dave Webber

 

For more on the horse-sacrifices of the ancient world, see:

M. L. West, Indo-European Myth and Poetry (2007), Oxford, pp. 417-419

 

For the perfect little tale about the making of the White Horse of Uffington, see:

Rosemary Sutcliff, Sun Horse, Moon Horse (1997). Bodley Head.

 

For Kay: who brought it in

"Just because he don't wear the horn don't say it ain't him, now, the Old Lad: at all, at all."

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Poet, scholar and storyteller Steven Posch was raised in the hardwood forests of western Pennsylvania by white-tailed deer. (That's the story, anyway.) He emigrated to Paganistan in 1979 and by sheer dint of personality has become one of Lake Country's foremost men-in-black. He is current keeper of the Minnesota Ooser.

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