Magic at daybreak

In The Horn Book (a long-running magazine about children's literature), author & folklorist Jane Yolen was asked if she, personally, believed in magic. This is her answer:

"I believe there are prestidigitators who can do card tricks and saw-the-woman-in half tricks. I believe there are politicians who can make us believe up is down and wrong is right. I believe there are preachers who try to sell us a mess of pottage.

"And then I believe that an owl in flight, a hawk in stoop, an otter rising out of the duckweed...

"...a triple rainbow over the Isle of May, the New Jersey skyline as seen from the Highline in Manhattan on a night of the full moon, the small greenings of spring, honeybees on a blossom, and a newborn���s finger curled around mine are small everyday miracles, another word for ordinary magic. And that I believe in."

Do you believe in magic?

Words:  The Jane Yolen text above is from The Horn Book (January, 2012). I've used this quote once before, but I'm repeating it today because I love it! Everything else today is new. The poem in the picture captions is "Seeds in Flight" by Palestinian poet Khaled Abdallah, translated by Sara Vaghefian & The Poetry Tranlastion Workshop. It's from The Written Word (BBC Radio, 2012). All rights reserved by the authors and translators.  Pictures: Nattadon Hill in the early morning hours.