Goblin Magic

MELLOW YELLOW MONDAY

GOBLIN MAGIC 

It happened in old Germany centuries ago

When miners dug for silver in the earth.

Silver was a precious metal everyone desired

And it was treasured for its certain worth.

Now the miners had some problems as they worked there underground;

There was something there that seemed to cause a block,

And they named the problem 'kobold', meaning goblin, evil sprite,

And they said this 'kobold' lived within the rock.

The mines were way deep underground, where air was hard to find,

Men were working in unpleasant airless tombs,

And the 'kobold' causing trouble added greatly to their pain,

As it gave off evil gases, noxious fumes.

Then, in the eighteenth century a chemist called George Brandt

Said 'kobold' was a metal coloured blue,

And he christened it 'King Cobalt' for he found it coloured glass

With a deep and almost indigo-dark hue.

So now we see 'King Goblin' in delightful ornaments;

In vases, bottles, every kind of glass.

No doubt the King of Goblins has a chuckle to himself

To think such magic ever came to pass.

 *

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EIGHTSOME REEL

My life has been divided, up until today,

Into eight almost equal portions, well, in a sort of way.
The concept's not mathematical, it's just the way I feel.....
That my little life has danced along, a bit like an Eightsome Reel!

*

. As a child in Kent in England, I lived by the sea,

Till a dreadful war made me an evacuee.

*

 As a teenager in Staffordshire I spent my time at school,

Studying hard part of the time, but also playing the fool!

*

 I became a teacher at this time; in Brighton I was trained,

Until I taught in London, where it very often rained!

*

 Now came my big adventure; to Rhodesia I then went,

Where life was warm and sunny and I was well-content.

*

 After I'd been at sea a while, I married in the Cape,

But South Africa proved worrying and we made our escape.

*

 In New South Wales, Australia, we finally settled down,

My children came to school with me. We enjoyed Newcastle town.

*

 We bought a motel down the coast; that idea was not inspired!

We returned to Newcastle quite soon, for I was then retired.

*

 We lived a great retirement life, totally self-obsessed,

With bowls and Toastmasters  and clubs, and holidays that impressed.

*

 Now the grandchildren came along. They proved to be a boon.

The days of spending time with them couldn't come too soon!

*

 And now that eight-times-ten's arrived, feeling the way I feel,

I think I can dance a few more rounds of my own little Eightsome Reel!

*