Tale Tumblers
2022, Commissioned by the San Francisco Institute of Possibility
Created by Kaytea Petro, Kelleigh Trowbridge and Julian Barber
Glazed Ceramic with Cobalt
Each is approximately 4” x 4” x 5” (Photos by Todd Seelie)
We made 100 tumblers with imagery derived from every line of the following poem by Chicken John and hid them around the 2022 Strawberry Moon Campout. The idea was that people would interrogate what they had found and why - thus wandering around and building community of conversation as well as a shared mythos.
Fairy - tormentor of my dreams
'Fairy!' said I, 'thing of fey.'
I awoke and flung the angel
Deep into that darkness thick
Once I sat engaged and dreaming
Much I marveled the splendid coven
On that day my soul grew hungry
My passion is the magic elixir
Deep into that darkness fantasying
When I thought of the fairy
Much I marvelled the elvish pal
I heard a mad, lonely palling
In a kingdom full of cupids
On that day my soul grew immortal
Back into my memories counting
'I crave the marzipan,' I muttered
And its eyes have all the tinkering
It threw its ghost against the cherubs
Eagerly I looked for the sissy
The mad mermaid - that sly silkie
My crepe paper, I could not awaken
I felt compelled to sniff the nosegays
The sprites twinkling in the sun
Munificent thumping
Forever only known to the pixies
Back into my memories tapping
Only this and a earl
I threw my blade upon the floor
I was a gnome and you an ogre
I discovered the secrets
I crave the lacey lovebird
I heard an elvish, mad grinning
Who is this daliesque santa claus
Deep into that darkness sponsoring
I have dreamed of the scepters
By the grave I saw the satyrs
A musk hung over the conclave
The smiling story swagging
I crave the smiling, smelly story
I awoke and flung the blinds
I have dreamed of the fauns
The the immortal glitter
I heard a heavy, pedal tinkering
That moment my soul grew enchanted
Who is this lonely lovebird
Deep into that darkness grinning
The mad marsh marigold miming
I crave the splendid snuffbox
I awoke and flung the fruitcake
Are thou this magical mandrake?
Deep into that darkness enchanting
Spinning wool from the wolves
I heard a mad, immortal swagging
I have dreamed of the pistils
That moment my soul grew weary
I look for you in the damp earth
The blade mocks, the torch flares
A penny for your thoughts indeed!
Ask the gnomes hiding in the thicket
There be dragons inside us all
Such a tender sound, a coin hitting a cup
Be careful what one gets good at…
Riddles are keys
That moment my soul grew dark
Turn back now, I will think no less of you
The stale, cracked parchment yawns
The children drink the moon tea
The madman drunk on moon tea
The muse bathing in moon tea
There is a djinn trapped in the wood
There is magic in the moon tea
The queen drinks the moon tea
The valkyries drink the moon tea
The runes on the blade tell a different story
The lutes gayly play
The stains on his hands betray his words
In that moment my soul grew hungry
The magical script came to life
Only dwarves can stand to drink the stuff
Ancient oaths will be upheld!
The lute strums the player
The gnome was named Fraznet Dringle
The blows from the hammer on the anvil
A talking abacus? That’s impossible!
The spirit in the bottle
Six fingers on his left hand
One single drop of venom dangling off the fang
Why would someone put a lock on a book?
The wise, noble effretti took note
They walk the earth as menfolk
The knives are made of lies
Today is yesterday’s tomorrow
The lightning bugs are out!
Lanterns hang at the full moon market
We will never forget the strawberry moon
Altar of the lupine lords
Jewel on black velvet
Pearl in the sea
The pale perfect moon
BLAH