May Day at Merry Mount

Now the bright morning Star, Dayes harbinger,
  Comes dancing from the East, and leads with her
  The Flowry May, who from her green lap throws
The yellow Cowslip, and the pale Primrose.
  Hail bounteous May that dost inspire 
  Mirth and youth, and warm desire,
  Woods and Groves, are of thy dressing,
  Hill and Dale, doth boast thy blessing.
Thus we salute thee with our early Song,
And welcom thee, and wish thee long.  

- John Milton (1608-1674)

On this May Day 2022, I pause to reflect and revel at this wonderful “slice of paradise” where we live. Please bear with me as I dance with John Milton's "bounteous May" around an imaginary Maypole.

A place called Merry Mount. Why a place name? To some, it may seem pretentious, but when we moved here, almost nine years ago, we reveled in our excitement over “living a dream”.

A view of Merry Mount from Milton's "Morning Star"

Most often, a place name designates a location, but sometimes the people that occupy the place and the events that occur there give added significance to the name. Consider Mount Vernon, Benbulbin, Bredon, Capricorn, Nohant or Howard's End. Each place has either historical significance or has inspired artistic expression or both.

A cherry tree in full bloom at Merry Mount

If one googles Merrymount, one is led to The Maypole of Merrymount, a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Early in the story, the following passage appears:

“May, or her mirthful spirit, dwelt all the year round at Merry Mount, sporting with the Summer months, and revelling with Autumn, and basking in the glow of Winter's fireside. Through a world of toil and care she flitted with a dreamlike smile, and came hither to find a home among the lightsome hearts of Merry Mount.”

Hawthorn’s tale is an allegory of religious Puritan oppression against a community that doesn’t abide by their restrictive beliefs.

We want our Merry Mount to be a place of merriment and revelry, a place where closed-minded Puritan thinking is avoided, and where "lightsome hearts" can savor the many sensuous delights that are found here.

Why should I want to write a blog named aplacecalledmerrymount? Because I occasionally want to express myself and share my thoughts and feelings with cyberspace; and perhaps to provide “food for thought” or maybe “stir the pot that contains the food.” It is my hope that friends and strangers will respond to what they find here.

As we celebrate the first day of May and acknowledge an aura of merriment traditionally associated with May Day, we encourage a wink, a kiss, a smooch, and perhaps a dance.

CPW

P.S. The photos below bring an alternative meaning to Merry Mount.