The Ghillie Dhu

 
There was a young girl called Jessie Macrae
Who went for a walk in the woods one day
 
She loved the woods, her favourite place
Spent time alone in her own head space
 
She loved to sing, she loved to dance
To skip, to run, to jump and prance
 
Shed sit quietly by the woodland stream
Releasing her tension in a silent scream
 
Then a wave of serenity would take her over
then she’d look all around for a four leafed clover
 
Snacking on apples, and all kind of berries
And imagining dancing with elves and with faeries
 
She was one with a nature she couldn’t besmirch
As she sat meditating on a stump made of Birch
 
Having so much fun she’d lost track of time
As the sun did drop and the moon did climb
 
And darkness fell like shadows in a race
And the woods at night became a scary place
 
Not being sure of the direction she should go
She sat on the stump as her fears did grow
 
The flapping, the hooting, closed tightly her lips
The cracks of wood braking, her heart beat now skips
 
As fear grips her tightly like an unwanted hug
She weeps for the fact that her grave may be dug
 
And just at the moment of her greatest fears
Moss and green leave wipe away all her tears
 
Startled at first her fears magically lifted
Her serenity returned like if it been gifted
 
The space all around her was lit up in green
And she finally saw what before was unseen
 
Her circumstance was no longer scary
In front of her stood a wild forest faerie
 
Known as the Ghillie Dhu, ‘The Dark Haired Lad’
Sometimes very good and sometimes very bad
 
Known to punish adults for trespassing in the wood
He never trusts adults they are all up to no good
 
But children are a different matter to the Ghillie Dhu
He senses their feelings and knows what to do
 
He sat down beside her enhancing her mood
A comforting hug, a smile then he stood
 
He said “Come with me.” Her had he did take
They walked through the woods and down by the lake
 
In no time at all she stood at the door to her home
She turned round to thank him, he was already gone
 
So adults beware for he’ll come after you
But children are safe, guarded by Ghillie Dhu


Authors Note: The image is by Alan Lee and I have sought permission to use this image to post with this poem :-)