The Merlin Collection This is a small collection of works by The Merlin (aka Dave Baxter) and it is based on a collection of images created by Visionary Artist Peter Pracownik. A meeting back in 1989 between Peter and Dave formed one of a series of events that ultimately were to lead to a complete lifestyle change that Dave was to undertake. The ripple effects of that change are still shaping Dave’s life now in 2014. This work is dedicated to Peter with thanks. Copyright exists in all the images and work contained in this publication. Š2015 moonshadow media
Table Of Contents 1 The Land of Faerie 2 Magic Of The Stones 3 Birth Of Starchild 4 Moon Mother 5 Earth Magic 6 Keeper 7 Avalon Unicorn 8 The Awakening 9 Mermaid 10 Excalibur 11 Warrior And The Beast 12 Majestic 13 Angel The Backword
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
The Land Of Faerie Silver Moon set up on high Centred in a lilac sky Looking downward through the mists On a land few know exists Shining gently o'er the Tor Majestic hilltop by the shore Of Camelot and Summer Sea One day her time again will be Trees are gaunt this winter's night As mists obscure them from clear sight A veil around the earth is drawn And fragrant mystery is born The poppies red a carpet make And show that Earth is still awake The land of Magickal Mystery A place not there for all to see What Magick walks upon this land? You cannot tell from where you stand The Magick held within this place Will guide you back to Mother's grace To enter in you must be wary As entry to the Land of Faerie Is not a thing that all can do Unless She opens up the way for you But once inside all things are shown As if you are returning home A seekers place is there to see One day She showed herself to me
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
Magic Of The Stones A sacred space since time began A circle here since birth of man And magic woven through the stones Brings pilgrims travelling from their homes And unicorns not one but three Graze gently by the sacred tree And sense the crackle in the air It calls forth Maidens dark and fair With Raven, Morgan and their kin The sisters of the moon begin To weave their mystries power of three They speak their words and it must be The Merlin stands in robes of blue The wisest person no one knew And there inside that sacred henge The magic of the stones begins Circle magic from the source Calling down that awesome force On the plain by night or day Female magic makes its way The sacred ways of Avalon They are still here, they have not gone Power courses through your bones Via The Magic Of The Stones
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
Birth Of Starchild The infant born of sacred tree Knows far more than we may see Carries wisdom of the ancients Knowledge far beyond our nation He rises gently born on light We understand just how he might See much more than we can see While Stars play gently round his feet Gold and silver purest shine And mix with white of highest high To bring great healing to our land Source consciousness is at his hand Your future one of unsure health Spending your time by yourself So Introverted you will be But tell me just what do you see A gifted child, an introvert Simple games can cause him hurt He holds our future in his hand The star child born by nature hand
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
Moon Mother Avalon Mists rise up to meet you As you stand in silent thought Robes wrapped tight against your body Hold you close and keep you warm You watch the lake as moonlight bathes you As you stand in silent thought Thoughts and feelings kept in silence Standing, waiting watching o'er The sword held proudly at your shoulder As you stand in silent thought Do you think about your children? Priestess Maiden Mother Crone Amulets adorn your forearms As you stand in silent thought Your lips held closed in resolution As you think what may befall You see the future stretch before you As you stand in silent thought Moon Mother, Merlin both together Oak Grove waiting, feel the call You know the future is uncertain As you stand in silent thought The Mists may close within your future Unless the words are spread afar But the way is far from simple As you stand in silent thought Not every seeker gets the calling To pass beyond the sacred port To climb atop the Tor at Solstice And to stand in silent thought Moon Mother holds you in her comfort An Avalon daughter newly born
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
Earth Magic As Merlin sits among the stones Lighting courses through his bones Wand in hand he casts a circle On the earth to pass his vigil A darkening night is all around And the mystic signs abound Midst the flashes richest purple Builds the magic in the circle Leafless trees stand gaunt and dark Shadows fade with lightning spark Kneeling there in eerie light Merlin waits in deepest night Working with the rising power He calls the Goddess at this hour Earth Magic builds with every second Until his spirit Starchild beckons "Come to me in dead of night Past the keeper in his sight Do not fear his awesome spectre Let the magic earth protect you" With Earth Magic you will be On the path to setting free All the mystery of the ages From the Book of Shadows pages
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
Keeper The fearsome guardian watches o'er That Magickal place on Avalon shore No one dare approach the space And stare the beast full in the face A night of terror will befall The ones who dare to risk it all To hold the dragon in their gaze So many here will end their days The waters boil in foaming torrent As great jaws screech in sounds abhorrent Talons flail in each direction If they strike - annihilation! But one will come and face the challenge Boldly rise up and avenge The mystic island's fiercest critics Those who claim our ways heretic The Starchild name is to awaken The dragons breath to soon be taken Sparks and scales will rise up high Until the beast must fly or die
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
Avalon Unicorn She stands beneath a rainbow sky Between a pair of stones so high. The Magick coursing through the air Calls The Keeper from the lair Spirits marshall as they hear the call A message brought for one and all Upon the plain a brilliant light Disturbs the darkness of the night The stones vibrate with energy pure The keeper vents an awesome roar And tries to conjure up a storm To scare the Avalon Unicorn But undeterred she stands her ground And though she utters not a sound The Keeper senses pure futility Beaten down by great humility She will not rise up to the fight Knows the time is not yet right Without a sign of battle there The Keeper withdraws to the lair
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
The Awakening A crown sits quietly on the rocks A young man stirs, his silver locks Tumble gently to his neck and Lightning flashes off his chest In the shadow of The Tor Where poppies red grow on the floor Armour glistens merry bright And not a single bird in sight Undertones of serpent breath Fetid air and stench of death Currents flow below the surface Silver tongue of venomous serpent This day the island does belie The beauteous images of the eye A quest revealed upon this date For this young man to undertake To rid the island of the rot Lest this place will be forgot To meet the challenge there must be A sword that will provide the key Awaken to the challenge set Save the Isle lest we forget Beware The Keeper on your way And yet our knight will win the day
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
Mermaid Of deepest blue the Summer Sea Holds its secrets steadfastly The mists that form upon her shores Protect the island from ill force But in its depths a secret holds A story many men have told A creature not of woman born And yet part female in it's form And when she sings her siren song A time of fear will not be long ‘Tis said she lures men to the depths And great misfortune she behests So for this challenge he exists And Starchild understands the risk For what awaits him he can't tell A journey to a watery hell? Yet fight he must for life and honour For the sickness he must conquer That pervades through many mortal man Since this land and time began
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
Excalibur Enveloped in silence Arthur stood by the stone Aware of its magic and what must be done The sword in the stone proclaimed him to be The King of the future for people to see The people were lacking a leader for sure This man stood above the others before He knew that his task was to take them to hand To lead them to victory and win them their land But deep in his heart a sense of unrest Ran through his body, he knew of his quest He carried a burden that no man should know Morgaine was his sister and this pained him so With mist and fork lightning the Fires of Beltane Burned brightly the night that the union was made. The God and The Maiden were joined into one And several months later a baby, a son But just in this moment a duty needs done His people were desperate, a leader must come The magical sword Excalibur named Was drawn from the stone, it was rightly his blade
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
Warrior And The Beast Many tales from days long gone Are told about the Summer Sea When beast and dragon roamed the land Not scared by man, both wild and free In winter time a leafless tree Is dark against a leaden sky The Keeper roaring from on high Men believe someone must die Enormous wings rip through the air Talons hooked and nostrils flared Enormous power earthwards speeds And meets the ringing iron he wields Sparks and flames fall to the ground The Earth rings out with awesome sound Of beating wings and fearsome roars Starchild sword meets Keeper’s jaw A bitter fight ‘til death of one The Keeper falls, defences gone The challenge o’er, the battle done And Avalon’s Warrior victory won
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
Majestic Gossamer wings meet the blue of the night A halo around her, a shimmering light Her dark hair is tumbling, framing her face What beautiful vision is here in this place? With wings to her back and a milky white skin Together her beauty beguiling and slim Barefoot she stands twixt the rocks and the grass Where toadstools are growing and Starchild must pass. She turns and she greets him the victor, but yet He knows it is coming, another great quest. But just in this moment he stands mortal man The first sign of frailty since the journey began "My name is Majestic and soon you will see Just why I am called so and who you will be" "We must go abroad, to the depths of the night Where no one can follow far far out of sight" He nods and she leads him by holding his hand Out of the mists to a far off strange land They enter a clearing, a grove of great trees As Merlin steps forward they drop to their knees "Fear not" says Majestic "for father has come To finally acknowledge that you are his son Your ancestors before you were all of the same A line of brave warriors Pendragon the name".
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
Angel An Angel of starlight looks down on the grove Watching The Merlin greet Starchild with love A sense of completeness is borne on the air The nation united by people who care No sense of foreboding is borne on this night The energy building and feeling so right The magical starlight slides down to the ground And marries the moonlight, much pleasure abounds The sword in his right hand is not there to fight It stands there for justice and all that is right The strength and great power that beats in his wings Can often be seen in the simplest of things And so as we leave you on this thirteenth night Remember the Angel with love and with light Be kind to the people you know or don't know Look after the planet there's still far to go.
BLESSED BE
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
The Backword When I began to compile this work I was extremely happy that I was being given the inspiration and the tools to take my poetry in a different direction. Not for one moment did I consider that a work such as this would cause me so much pain and lead me to question my path. Before your hands fly up in horror at the thought of me renouncing The Goddess let me assure you that nothing is further from my mind. In fact, compiling this work has clarified for me that I am definitely on a solitary path. Issues that have tested my resolve have raised themselves during the writing process and for that I thank The Goddess. I will not go into greater detail about how and why I was tested but I rest in the knowledge that I now see things with greater clarity. So that said, I am going to make the necessary changes and return to the path I followed before this book began to take shape. Therefore, as the book draws towards completion I will take this opportunity to wish you the best things that life can give. Love, Light and Blessed Be Merlin
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
The Merlin As Merlin sits among the stones
T H E M E R L I N C O L L E C T I O N
Š2015 moonshadow media