The Witch's Hat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

“To me, a witch is a woman that is capable of letting her intuition take hold of her actions, that communes with her environment, that isn't afraid of facing challenges.” - Paulo Coelho

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” – W. B. Yeats

“Our life is what our thoughts make it.” - Marcus Aurelius

Now, as a child in the 1950’s one of the places I loved to visit, along with other kids on the street in Gillingham, Kent where we lived, was a park playground that had a Witch’s Hat roundabout, so-called for its conical shape;  it was banned in the 1980’’s on Health & Safety grounds. I

A favourite ride for children across the UK, a new ‘safer’ version of The Witch’s Hat can now be found at Wicksteed Park in Kettering.                                                   

                                                      Photo (c1950's) taken from the Internet

THE WITCH’S HAT

Singing on a witch’s hat,
eagerly scratching our initials,
to show we were here,
winging clouds and sailing seas, 
hoots of laughter driving
all four winds, magic of childhood
in the blood

Other roundabouts to try,
at world fairs no less likely to work 
their magic, but leaving us
feeling foolish, even taking fright 
at (eventually) sussing out  
its secrets, fuelling mind-body-spirit
with self-doubt

Round and round, again, 
only vaguely aware of killing time
in the wake of successes,
failures, safe houses letting us down,
disillusionment set to move in
till kinder life forces inspired to revisit
the witch’s hat

Midnight, owls in full flight
sounding out various human senses
even as they sleep,
winging happy memories, breathing
new life into mind-body-spirit,
an inspired motivation all but restored
in the blood

High noon, heart-and soul
a new dynamic, working its magic 
on us, having us engage
with hoots of owls as coos of doves
for clues to making the best
of past-present-futures as last seen sat 
on a witch’s hat

R. N. Taber, 2022