“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” unfolded before my overloaded teenage senses. The open air amphitheater at the American Players Theater in Spring Green, Wisconsin was transformed into a magical fairyland. The woods pressed close to the multi-tiered stage, the actors were strewn across a 180-degree arc as they bounced and pranced through an enchanted evening among chiffon and colored lanterns. Above the audience, in the still and humid night, clouds scudded by, stars occluded then released in a sudden shower of ancient light swung low to graze the treetops. A distant storm over the horizon roiled with unheard flashes. Applause and laughter drew a tight perimeter and closed out the shy things that roamed the dark wild.
nighthawk answered call
Luna moth helpless flutter
shooting star flared bright
Click here for the Night sky haibun prompt at dVerse Poets Pub.
Wow! I love this – but I am a Shakespeare fanatic, so… I remember seeing A Midsummer Night’s Dream in an amazing theatre when I was about thirteen. The stage was circular, tilted at a 40 degree angle, and there was a huge orange moon as a backdrop. It made such an impression on me, the actors looking as if they were acting on the reflection of the moon. I stared in disbelief when I left after the performance – it was 3pm, glaring grey and drizzly. I just wanted to be transported back to dreamland. I often think of that performance. It was truly the stuff that dreams are made of.
Wonderful! It must have been 1986 when I saw the performance I mentioned. To my knowledge, the they’re is still functioning. And I didn’t fall asleep to the performance, like I did to King Lear, when I went to watch it at Stratford-on-Avon. Honestly, home of the bard, and I manage to snooze! Hope I didn’t snore. No-one would ever tell me…
We were there on April 10th, 1996 and saw “Twelfth Night”. I dug out our scrapbook but couldn’t find any playbill or notes. Did some research online and found this link to the production. We were in England from April 6th to the 13th and stayed at Walton Hall on a timeshare exchange. We had a car for the week and also took the train down to London several times.
Yet in that sharing we are still alone in our thoughts and reactions as a tree is to a moth. Thanks for commenting and I wish you the best in your treatments.
I too love the last line in the prose portion of your haibun. So magical it must have been! I’ve never watched Shakespeare out of doors. I love this glimpse into your past.
I resonate to “tight perimeter and closed out the shy things that roamed the dark wild.” The chiffon and colored lanterns was an especially enjoyable image.
Now that’s how Shakespeare should be seen – especially A Midsummer Night’s Dream – below the stars. The Globe Theatre was – and is – open to the sky and stars, I love the way you introduced the ‘shy things’ and then made them the focus of the haiku – including the shooting star!
Art of Free
Verse.. WiNks
Anything
Goes..
The
MinDs
EYe
Decides
ALong
With over
3.3 milLion
Words of LonGest
LonG Form Poem
Ever at the 701st
MacroVerse oF thaT
Ocean Whole
Poem wHerE
sEA LiFe at
The
Bottom
Of the Ocean
Can gET
Lewis Carroll
Rabbit wHole
Strange and
ObviousLy..
Not everyone’s
Cup of tea but i’M
In iT for the Different
And never the SaMe
As i personAlly
Find inSame
A little
TiRing..
WinKs..:)
There Are More Poets than Stars in the Firmament 
Wow! I love this – but I am a Shakespeare fanatic, so… I remember seeing A Midsummer Night’s Dream in an amazing theatre when I was about thirteen. The stage was circular, tilted at a 40 degree angle, and there was a huge orange moon as a backdrop. It made such an impression on me, the actors looking as if they were acting on the reflection of the moon. I stared in disbelief when I left after the performance – it was 3pm, glaring grey and drizzly. I just wanted to be transported back to dreamland. I often think of that performance. It was truly the stuff that dreams are made of.
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This haibun is set in 1981 and the theater is still going strong to this day. I saw several other plays there and each one was magical.
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Wonderful! It must have been 1986 when I saw the performance I mentioned. To my knowledge, the they’re is still functioning. And I didn’t fall asleep to the performance, like I did to King Lear, when I went to watch it at Stratford-on-Avon. Honestly, home of the bard, and I manage to snooze! Hope I didn’t snore. No-one would ever tell me…
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Been to Stratford-on-Avon too sometime in the mid-90’s. Neither of us can remember what play we saw!
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How strange! Pleased I’m not the only one with a less than memorable experience of Stratford!
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I do remember it was a cold spring day and it was a matinee performance. Our scrapbook of the trip is packed away somewhere, will have to dig it out.
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Oh, yes please! I’d love to know what you saw! 🙂
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We were there on April 10th, 1996 and saw “Twelfth Night”. I dug out our scrapbook but couldn’t find any playbill or notes. Did some research online and found this link to the production. We were in England from April 6th to the 13th and stayed at Walton Hall on a timeshare exchange. We had a car for the week and also took the train down to London several times.
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Oh my goodness – Malvolio was played by Edward Petherbridge, who is one of my favourite British actors! You’ve just made my day! 🙂
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I particularly like the final sentence in the prose paragraph – the way a shared experience draws people together.
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Yet in that sharing we are still alone in our thoughts and reactions as a tree is to a moth. Thanks for commenting and I wish you the best in your treatments.
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Shakespeare under the night sky…with shooting stars..magic. love the last line of your prose.
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Another vote for the last line. 🙂 Thanks for commenting.
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I too love the last line in the prose portion of your haibun. So magical it must have been! I’ve never watched Shakespeare out of doors. I love this glimpse into your past.
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Shakespeare is best seen out of doors. It’s funny how the line I added at the last minute is the one getting the most praise. 🙂
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It is often so that that which we do not think to death but throw in from our heart is the one that does often garner much praise.
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Very true in all things of life not just poetry.
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I resonate to “tight perimeter and closed out the shy things that roamed the dark wild.” The chiffon and colored lanterns was an especially enjoyable image.
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It’s official, the last prose line is the winner. 🙂 I always find costumes and staging to be such a enjoyable part of watching a play.
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A magical fairyland – wow. Would love to sit and witness it first hand. Love your haiku of nighthawk and luna moth Brian!
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Thank you Grace, all it takes is a plane ticket. 🙂 I had the privilege of seeing a Luna moth up close once in NYC at 3am.
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This is gorgeous writing. I can see it all! I especially love the shy things that roamed the dark wild.
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Thanks Sherry, the last line leaps from the stage and goes careening where we cannot follow.
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Now that’s how Shakespeare should be seen – especially A Midsummer Night’s Dream – below the stars. The Globe Theatre was – and is – open to the sky and stars, I love the way you introduced the ‘shy things’ and then made them the focus of the haiku – including the shooting star!
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Hi Kim, maybe it should be a rule… Puck can only be seen at night under the stars. He is rather shy. 😉
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Good rule!
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HUman sTars oF sHine
And absOrBinG liGht..
wiLd things shine..
shY
things
absorb
morE LiGht..
Shy Stars
shy..
shy Stars..:)
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I’m sure you’ve explained once upon a time, but why write with parTIil CapS?
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Art of Free
Verse.. WiNks
Anything
Goes..
The
MinDs
EYe
Decides
ALong
With over
3.3 milLion
Words of LonGest
LonG Form Poem
Ever at the 701st
MacroVerse oF thaT
Ocean Whole
Poem wHerE
sEA LiFe at
The
Bottom
Of the Ocean
Can gET
Lewis Carroll
Rabbit wHole
Strange and
ObviousLy..
Not everyone’s
Cup of tea but i’M
In iT for the Different
And never the SaMe
As i personAlly
Find inSame
A little
TiRing..
WinKs..:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a magic experience… I have to say I envy you that experience… I like how nature joins in with that nighthawk calling.
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Nighthawks calling were an integral part of my childhood spent outdoors at night.
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that magical fairyland is beautifully created with words…
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Thank you Sumana for reading those words. 🙂
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“nighthawk answered call
Luna moth helpless flutter
shooting star flared bright”
~ooh! I especially love this one. ❤
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Thanks Maria for commenting.
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You’ve taken me back to this night with you. Love the idea of those ancient lights above. We don’t generally think of the age of stars.
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Every second of every day dying photons strike our eyes. Thank you for commenting.
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I like this, funny and beautiful at the same time.
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Thanks and I’m glad you liked it.
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Magical setting for such good stuff and your end was excellent use of language.
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Thank you Anita for reading ’till the end.
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No problem, and my pleasure.
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Would like to see that play! Great title and haiku but my favorite phrase is “closed out the shy things that roamed the dark wild.”
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It’s a great setting and a great play. The last line is what everyone likes.
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