Springtime has revealed itself in all its glory here in Wisconsin. The robin, our state bird, has returned. Magnolias are now in bloom and their soft, sweet cream fragrance fills the air. Early morning sunshine pours in through our yards to spark life within the greening grass, as well as through our kitchen windows to warm the dozing cats. Beltane energy, with all its percolation of loveliness and character of the wild Maiden, is upon us.
Newport Museum and Art Gallery
The Character of Spring
Here in the Midwest, however, the calming and caressing seasonal aspects of spring can be temporary and short-lived. As the warmth of the day plunges into evening coolness, the easy breeze heightens to a swirling. Frost may greet us with the dawn. These are telling signs of the fragility of the season that comes, unapologetically, with every spring.
The Maiden of Spring
Thus is the Maiden. Her colorful demeanor may be one of romance: hopeful, sensitive, and expressive. The celebration of Beltane, like her spirit, excites the natural world. Yet her knowledge of the future is assured. The acceptance of her destiny as time races on. Another blazing summer … autumn and the ancestral veil of Samhain … and the darkness of winter. The Maiden is content in each season’s maturation.
She is young but knows her path. She has seen this all before and is the willing traveler. Although there is bursting energy, it is never reckless. The tender-footed Maiden is as wise as any.
Wild Maiden by Blackwillow Starling, released 2024, is available on bandcamp.
Wild Maiden
Wild Maiden, from our debut album, highlights the multi-faceted personality of spring and the power of Beltane.
Wild Maiden comes to me in the springtime
Always on her time – knowing
What is destined she owns, someday Mother and Crone
Always on her time – Wild Maiden
Wild in the spring – all that she brings
Always knows what’s inside of her grows
Springs from the flow
A balance of things in her time
A wild knowing
When autumn is in the air
She will rise and find a place to prepare
Spring in the season
Spring water that breaks from freezing
She will rise
Lyrics from “Wild Maiden” by Blackwillow Starling
The Blessing of Spring’s Creation
The inspiration for the music of Wild Maiden is, for me, most definitely a Van Morrison-esque, easy vibe. The musical roles, however, are reversed. The chordal pattern is slightly behind the beat and lazy with the vocals lying in alignment with the beat. Morrison’s vocal delivery is, oftentimes, behind the beat. The horns and snare explode on time like a Beltane bloom.
In writing the song I wasn’t aiming to emulate the progression and tempo. I began noodling with basic chords and suddenly it was there; as if discovering new sprouts, clear as day.
Wild Maiden is an example of how Blackwillow Starling experiment with keys of a song. The piece is in a major key, originally in G. In consideration of the character of the Maiden, we felt the musical weight of the song was too heavy. We moved the key to A … then to C. After demoing various parts of the song, we decided on G major position but at capo 6 to get us to Db. How vocals sit within a song’s key can take some time to determine. I love the voicing of the guitar in this key/position and how the mandolin jumps that much more.
Springtime Again and Again
Monday, April 8th, 2024. Nora and I spent the day in Liberty, Indiana at Whitewater Memorial State Park. A warm and sunny day, especially for Wisconsinites who are not used to using sunscreen in April!
We claimed part of a gently sloping hillside by mid-morning. We spent hours reading, writing, pulling tarot cards and staves, and enjoying a picnic lunch. We had a chat about our time at Serpent Mound State Memorial in Peebles, OH and how we went browsing through all the vinyl at Omega Music in Dayton, OH. In a few weeks, it would be Beltane … the cold season was finally behind us.
I started looking at the nearly completed lyrics for Wild Maiden. We painstakingly review, re-write, reconsider, and reject many lyrics that make it to paper. I wasn’t happy with the second verse and Nora offered suggestions, not only to the verse but to how the Maiden was portrayed. The edits resulted in a more confident persona; one that is steadfast within herself. We had a springtime creation and one of the last songs to be developed for our debut album.
We stayed on the hillside to reflect and watch the sun streaks on the water. I knew just how wild the Maiden was that April day. She will rise again and again.
Maiden’s Blessings For the Season
We send you peace and joy this Beltane season as the Maiden herself showers you with rain, sun and inspiration.
For more information about Blackwillow Starling, including their collected articles here on Pagan Song, their bio, and links to their sites on the web, check out Blackwillow Starling’s author page here on Pagan Song.
The featured photograph is from Blackwillow Starling.
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