Twas the Night Before Opening and All through the Site,

Not a Creature was stirring….no really, nothing, nada, no one….

The roads were all empty, no booths standing there.

No stages, no ale stands, the grounds were all bare.

No food court, no guild yards, no privies in a row,

No Tickle, No Archery, where did they all go?

No music, no laughter, this place was asleep,

No Garlands, no Knife Throw, No Coughing Sheep!!

Where are the people, the actors, the crew?

Tomorrow is opening, what will we do?

I thought to myself, this must be a dream,

Things are most likely, not what they seem.

I went to find Belrose, no booth there to see,

I’ll look for Michelle, she’ll explain it to me.

But no people, no pirates at Amsbury’s tent

I could not conceive where everyone went.

My heart was now pounding, I went to find Sue,

But Cuthberts was empty like the petting zoo.

When from up the hill, in Willingtown Heights,

Came a dark vision that gave me a fright.

A man in a mask with a long, crooked beak,

He warned me the news was going to be bleak.

“The plague is upon us, and few will be spared,

From Netherwallop it came, they poisoned the air.

There will be no revels, no marketplace cheer,

Your time is now over, there’s nothing left here.”

When down on the road, came of vision of light,

Riding astride, you could sense all her might.

“Listen,” she said to the man dressed in black,

“Get off of our site and don’t ever come back!

You won’t hurt us or end us, we’ve been here before,

We’ll rise from the ashes, like 2004.

We’ll take a year off and tend to our health,

And come back next year and rebuild our wealth.”

As Lisa chased him off our faire site for good,

I felt hopeful and proud as a villager should.

I laid down that night, and dreamt of our faire,

Of Mermaids and Minstrels and cider of pear.

Of Sea Dogs and Yoemen and Lukiens I’ve met,

Of burlap and deco and the beauty of our sets.

Of our Queen and her Court and wenches at The Well,

Of moments made of magic, and the stories we would tell.

Of Peasants and parades and all who come to play,

Of friends come and gone, merry met along the way.

I woke up with a smile, like a fool, who knows her part,

In Willingtown, my home, the place I left my heart.

Molly 9/18/2020

2019 Tribute