ANTICANT'S NEW YEAR GREETINGS

To all friends of and visitors to the burrow:

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

The sun shine warm upon your face,

The rain fall soft upon your fields.

Celtic Blessing of the Nine Elements:

May you go forth under the strength of heaven, under the light of sun, under the radiance of moon:

May you go forth with the splendor of fire, with the speed of lightning, with the swiftness of wind;

May you go forth supported by the depth of sea, by the stability of earth, by the firmness of rock;

May you be surrounded and encircled, with the protection of the nine elements.

Anticant enters 2007 in the hope, if not the expectation, that he will still be here in twelve months’ time to see another New Year in. His current mood is articulated far more eloquently than he could hope to do by Dylan Thomas:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.