|
Magpie
in the Tower
By: Helen
Pereira
One is for
sorrow
Two is for
joy
Three for a
wedding
Four for a
boy
Five is for
silver
Six is for
gold
Seven for a
thing
that can't
be told
--
Traditional
Irish Verse
Magpie in
the Tower is
the story of
an author
who, at a
pivotal time
in her life,
reluctantly
accepts the
use of a
Martello
Tower in
Ireland in
which to
live and
write.
Sheila soon
comes to
love this
misty,
mysterious
and historic
country and
to
appreciate
her
neighbours;
their love
of history,
their
ability to
enjoy life
and their
open
friendliness.
She also
discovers
that the
lives of her
new-found
friends are
often more
complex than
they seem at
first
glance.
Place-names
hold a
fascination
for her, and
Sheila
begins to
feel a part
of this
country as
much through
her
imagination
as her
experiences.
Through a
variety of
incidents
she is
compelled to
reflect upon
many
happenings
in her own
upbringing,
and to
re-evaluate
herself as
well. Her
return to
Toronto
finds her
somewhat
unsettled,
with a
longing for
her Ireland,
her second
home.
|
