Fantasy: Magic Enchantment & No Man Bound & Relieved From Unbelief Poem by Margaret Alice

Enchantment

Tonight I’m watching Mary Poppins, the movie
feeling like a small child, scared of life, not willing
to accept responsibility for the grown-up life I’m
supposed to lead –

Julie Andrews will charm my fears away, I take refuge in
the magical moments of Mary Poppins’ making, watching
Bert working magic in the park – talking dogs – flying
nannies with rosy cheeks - wild winds blowing sorrows away

Jane and Michael writing an advertisement - a cheery
disposition, play games - all sorts, witty, pretty, treats,
sweets, we won’t hide your spectacles, put toads
in your bed or pepper in your tea…

Mary Poppins snapping her fingers - the nursery
tidies itself…magic enchantment –
just what I need!


No Man Bound To Understand Himself

A lady once read a medical report,
was so frightened by the long words,
she ran for her life, locked herself into
her bedroom for fear of being
squashed by the words and
strangled by the sentences

She requested that a tax be put on
long words: a light tax on words of
three syllables and a heavy tax on
words over four syllables such as
heterodoxy, spontaneity and
spiritualism

but when the bill was brought
the Irish and Scotts opposed it
on the grounds that in a free country
no man was bound to understand himself
or let others understand him...

Charles Kingsley “The Water Babies” p.118 & 119

Relieved From Unbelief

Did you hear about the professor
who was not content with things
as they are, so his head was filled
with things as they are not

With basilisks, phoenixes and unicorns
which so flustered, aggravated, horrified
and flabbergasted him, he lost his mind
for three months

Then the poor professor eased his mind
by writing a great book, refuting all his
former opinions, such as proving the
moon was made of green cheese

Thus he was relieved from unbelief, pride
and vainglory, blindness and
hardness of heart...

Charles Kingsley “The Water Babies” p.117 & 125