An escapist fantasy for readers and friends, thanking you for your kind words, and wishing you all the best possible year in 2025.
To be sung as near as possible – despite liberties with scansion and imperfect alliteration – to the well-known tune of Christmas song “The Twelve Days of Christmas”.
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
A heron on the Keeper’s fence.
On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Two swimming swans, and a heron on the Keeper’s fence.
On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Three pecking pigeons,
Two swimming swans, and a heron on the Keeper’s fence.
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Four dashing ducks,
Three pecking pigeons,
Two swimming swans and, a heron on the Keeper’s fence.
On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Five gleaming balls,
Four dashing ducks,
Three pecking pigeons,
Two swimming swans, and a heron on the Keeper’s fence.
On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Six cruising cormorants,
Five gleaming balls,
Four dashing ducks,
Three pecking pigeons,
Two swimming swans and, a heron on the Keeper’s fence.
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Seven sturdy plane trees,
Six cruising cormorants,
Five gleaming balls,
Four dashing ducks,
Three pecking pigeons,
Two swimming swans and, a heron on the Keeper’s fence.
On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Eight rowers rowing,
Seven sturdy plane trees,
Six cruising cormorants,
Five gleaming balls,
Four dashing ducks,
Three pecking pigeons,
Two swimming swans and, a heron on the Keeper’s fence.
On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Nine Eye pods turning,
Eight rowers rowing,
Seven sturdy plane trees,
Six cruising cormorants,
Five gleaming balls,
Four dashing ducks,
Three pecking pigeons,
Two swimming swans, and a heron on the Keeper’s fence.
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Ten sleepy gulls,
Nine Eye pods turning,
Eight rowers rowing,
Seven sturdy plane trees,
Six cruising cormorants,
Five gleaming balls,
Four dashing ducks,
Three pecking pigeons,
Two swimming swans, and a heron on the Keeper’s fence.
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Eleven pigeons paddling,
Ten sleepy gulls,
Nine Eye pods turning,
Eight rowers rowing,
Seven sturdy plane trees,
Six cruising cormorants,
Five gleaming balls,
Four dashing ducks,
Three pecking pigeons,
Two swimming swans, and a heron on the Keeper’s fence.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Twelve flying geese,
Eleven pigeons paddling,
Ten sleepy gulls,
Nine Eye pods turning,
Eight rowers rowing,
Seven sturdy plane trees,
Six cruising cormorants,
Five gleaming balls,
Four dashing ducks,
Three pecking pigeons,
Two swimming swans, and a heron on the Keeper’s fence.
*******
But, as has happened before, it was only a strange dream…
*******
To find out more about the “Twelve Days of Christmas” see English Heritage by clicking here.