The Day of the Dead

"On the day of the dead, when the year too dies,
must the youngest open the oldest hills
through the door of the birds, where the breeze breaks.
There fire shall fly from the raven boy,
and the silver eyes that see the wind,
and the Light shall have the harp of gold…"

This is the poem that opens Susan Cooper's The Grey King, one of my most favorite books of ALL time. I memorized that poem, and I must've read the book 10 or 12 times. It has all my favorite elements: a secret identity, a quest, mythology, tie-ins with Arthur, the battle between good and evil...and fabulous writing. If you have not read it, no matter what age you are, you must. Must must.

Hmm. I must go read it again, I think. {s}

Happy Day of the Dead!

Medieval Word of the Day: scop: An Old English poet or minstrel.