The Land Of Heart’s Desire by William Butler Yeats

I don’t remember the name of the bookstore. It was close to Odyssey Video near the crossroads of Camarillo St, Vineland Ave and Lankershim Blvd. During the mid-90s this video store held mysteries and films to find. The bookstore next to it too. There is a wide selection of books, film scripts and beyond at this amazing book store. We found this limited edition by Yeats for my graduation.

This book printed for C.F. Benoit by the Brothers Johnson at The Windsor Press: 750 copies printed on Rye hand-made paper and the type distributed. In the year MCMXXVI.

Eighteen years now this hand-held book has moved around from apartment to house; from room to room. Now it happily rests on the hearth above our fireplace. The Land Of Heart’s Desire holds a story of Celtic twilight and Faeryland.; and at the time of summer I read from the book and dream.

To sit beside the board and drink good wine

And watch the turf smoke coiling from the fire

And feel content and wisdom in your heart

This is the best of life;…

This little folk-lore -story-play is not so content and the conflict is wild as the call of the fay by song and dance is true:

The wind blows out the gates of the day,

The wind blows over the lonely of heart,

And the lonely of heart is withered away,

Shaking their milk-white feet in a ring,

Tossing their milk-white arms in the air;

For they hear the wind laugh and murmur and sing…

As Maire Bruin is called away, so she goes… and so would I … would you? A wonderful read this time of year!!