“Have you ever seen seven kingdoms all in one day?”
“Seven kingdoms?” says you, “Aw – get away!”
“It’s true as I’m breathing, not a lie do I tell,
Now let’s take ourselves up to the top of Snaefell.
It must be clear like, and no clouds and no rain,
When the sun’s gaily dancing o’er mountain and plain;
And Manannan’s away riding Enbarr his horse,
And the hillsides are clothed in the galloping gorse.
(Now see here, pay attention, and let me show
otherwise you’ll never know…)
The Kingdom of Erin lies there to the west,
Where the ancient and Shining Ones, ever are blessed.
‘Tis a land of sweet music, of bards and of song,
Air is their gift and in sound all are one.
The Kingdom of Alba lies high north of here,
Lochs are its guardians, its bens are held dear.
Blue were the faces their men craft in wars,
Water’s their gift and all honour its course.
And there, to the south and then to the east,
Are the Red Dragon people – oh that glorious beast!
Long are their valleys and deep are their veins,
Fire is their gift that sets all hearts ablaze.
Now out to the east where the Angles reside,
Where cliffs are as clean as a white hart’s hide;
Where Arthur did reign and yet will reign again,
Earth is their gift to the family of men.
Look up! Look up! to the wonders on high.
Where stars grace the darkness and souls learn to fly.
The bringer of seasons, of sun, ice and storm,
These are the gifts of the Heavenly Kingdom.
And far down below where the waves kiss the shore,
Lays the bringer of memory, psyche and lore;
Of fishes, adventures and journeys in dreams,
These are the gifts of the Kingdom of Seas.
And where are we standing? Why on top of the world!
So close to the heavens where the clouds dance and twirl!
Spirit is our gift and in this all are kin,
So bow low to the honour that is Ellan Vannin’s.
Before you the Seven! The Primal! The Old!
Land, sky and sea; forever betrothed.
Mystical, magical, bound as a clan,
And at the heart of them all is the Kingdom of Man.”
© 2013 Bernadette Weyde
(source: photo courtesy of wiki with an addition or two)