Happy Beltane, Star Wars fans!

You may read elsewhere that, this year, Beltane occurred on May 1. We respectfully beg to differ because, according to some, Beltane "is a quarter festival, and thus celebrated when the Sun is 15 degrees 0 minutes in Taurus. This year the quarter festival is noted at 6:55 pm on May 4th." Furthermore, others note that Beltane occurs on or around May 1 while yet others point out it occurs at the height of Spring, about halfway between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice.

In case you want to double check our calculations, here's what we did:

• Spring Equinox: March 19, 2020
• Summer Solstice: June 20, 2020
• Days between: 93
• Midway days: 46.5
• March 19 + 46.5 days: May 4 (using a spreadsheet for calculations)

Finally, since we missed celebrating May1 this year, we're going with today as our Beltane celebration.

wild plum blossoms

Photo by J. Harrington

The fact that the wild plum tree down the road has finally come into blossom is also a contributing factor. It hadn't done so before today.

leaf out looks about like this today

Photo by J. Harrington

Since May 1 the growth of tree leaves has been noticeable. In fact, it seems possible to actually watch leaf growth if you stand still long enough and watch closely. I've been experiencing more and more emotional clash between the warmth engendered by this Spring's return of life and the coldness of the growing numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths. That kind of conflict is compounded when I realize that  today is both the 50th anniversary of the Kent State massacre and also Star Wars Day, a day on which a humorous complement among Star Wars' fans is "May the Fourth be with you!"

May Day

By Tess Taylor

They go, the early flags, the gory maples—

so too the daffodils & Lenten roses.

Other petals swirl & nights warm.

Buds thicken and cast shadows:

in a thunderstorm

I almost forget the ice that was.

Narcissi suckle watery paths;

meadows heap up emerald masses.

How green & I want to delight

except this undertow—it pulls so fast

passing before I recognize it—

like souls in Dante who can’t see the present,

white lilacs curdle in pre-summer heat.

The parade I barely noticed was beginning

is already halfway down the street.

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