A Place for Cupid & Psyche

Turn I my looks unto the skies,

Love with his arrows wounds my eyes;

If so I gaze upon the ground,

Love then in every flower is found.

Search I the shade to fly my pain,

He meets me in the shade again;

Want I to walk in secret grove,

Even there I meet with sacred Love.

If so I bathe me in the spring,

Even on the brink I hear him sing:

If so I meditate alone,

He will be partner to my moan.

If so I mourn, he weeps with me,

And where I am there will he be.

            Thomas Lodge (1558-1625)

During this amorous month of February, I think a retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth might be appropriate.

Once upon a time, there was a princess of such beauty, Psyche (Greek word for soul & butterfly), that the goddess Venus became jealous.  Venus sends her son, the handsome Cupid, to earth to shoot Psyche with one of his love arrows so that she would fall in love with a hideous monster.  To make a long story short, Cupid falls in love with Psyche and following a courtship of trials, the two of them are married.

I like to think that Cupid still flies over the skies at Merry Mount.  The following photos seem to confirm my conjecture.

The view as Cupid flew in for Quentin & Courtney's Wedding

Quentin & Courtney

Caroline & Jess jumping with jubilation at their engagement

Simon & Kris (expecting) at Quentin's wedding

16 months later with Joy and Eva

Lee and Robert

Sandra and James

Julie and Jason

Laurie and Mark with Rett

That old black magic has me in its spell,
That old black magic that you weave so well.
Those icy fingers up and down my spine,
The same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine.

The same old tingle that I feel inside,
And then that elevator starts its ride.
And down and down I go; round and round I go
Like a leaf that's caught in the tide.

I should stay away, but what can I do?
I hear your name and I'm aflame.
Aflame with such a burning desire
That only your kiss can put out the fire.

For you're the lover I have waited for,
The mate that Fate had me created for.
And every time your lips meet mine,
Darling, down and down I go; round and round I go
In a spin, loving the spin I'm in
Under that old black magic called love.

Writer/s: HAROLD ARLEN, JOHNNY MERCER 
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Rett & I still "loving the spin" after 42+ years

For the Psyche of Merry Mount: remember this song?!

There is a lady sweet and kind,
Was never face so pleas'd my mind;
I did but see her passing by,
And yet I love her till I die.

Her gesture, motion, and her smiles,
Her wit, her voice, my heart beguiles,
Beguiles my heart, I know not why,
And yet I love her till I die.

Cupid is winged and doth range,
His country so my love doth change:
But change he earth, or change he sky,
Yet will I love her till I die. 

            Thomas Ford

The "Psyche" of Merry Mount

To all today:  Be careful on this Valentine’s Day, you may be hit with one of Cupid’s arrows.  I have had his arrow stuck in me for over forty-two years.  Happy Anniversary tomorrow Rett!  Love you!

CPW