I am magpie: Recent Episodes
Bronwyn Eather
A fictional character, set in history. A woman, fascinated by the language of this land, yet caught in her dreams. We meet Eliza Collins in the fledgling colony of Sydney in the Spring of 1789. I am Bronwyn Eather, a writer, musician and linguist. I want to share this imagined journey with you through lyrical verse and music. In an age of new ideas, what does enlightenment look like here on the land of the Yura, on the other side of time? Cover graphic by Mark Fairhurst | https://www.facebook.com/mark.fairhurst.127
On her walk to the headland, Eliza encounters more characters from her dream. Joy soon turns to disappointment as shadows emerge and everything seems beyond her grasp. We learn of Eliza's husband, Thomas.
We meet Eliza as she wakes from a lucid dream, her body reawakened. Holding fast to this newly discovered joy, she shares her delight and her new intention with her neighbour Meg, the midwife.
Eliza Collins. A fictional character, set in history. Fascinated by language and how it might change society. Let me introduce 'I am magpie'.
Eliza’s mood lifts as her baby grows and they journey through warm, calmer seas. After leaving the Cape of Good Hope, Eliza senses disquiet as she prepares for birthing.
Eliza recalls a secret. Her body alive with child. She reads again of the sea journey’s rituals, and is reminded of her bewilderment. Alone. Apart. A tumble of conflicting emotions.
Stories and memories unfold. Meg encourages Eliza to read from her sea journal and to remember. Tentatively she begins to read, and then to experience her interior journey anew.
The notebooks begin to reveal their mysteries to Eliza. She recalls the day when everything changed. Then that night when she knew she would sail alone. Eliza receives her first talisman.
Eliza turns to Meg and begins to share her story. Gradually, the past unfurls in the telling. Her love for Thomas. Her sudden awakening. Her unbounded passion. Her hopes for their future.
Eliza’s joy bubbles forth with her study of the notebooks, and her dreams evoke a gentle, yearning spirit. She faces an uncomfortable truth and resolves to yield to newfound insight.
Eliza grapples for a sense of place, even in her dreams. Beguiled by the sentinel, Eliza finds only emptiness. Still doubting the value of her shadow self, Eliza surrenders to the notebooks.
The women on the headland continue to encourage Eliza, and she finds some grace, humour and renewed purpose. Her dreams evince treasured memories and ghostly spirits.
Eliza sees playfulness in the women, yet there on the headland, her own spirit wavers as shadows resurface. Drained of hope, Eliza faces her failure to embody her vision for a new world.
As Spring arrives in the colony, Eliza gathers her spirit through her morning musings. Her dreams provide no insight to her purpose, yet they do arouse memories. We begin to see what sets Eliza apart.
Just as a bird yearns to sing, Eliza needs a way through to the language of the Yura. The winter settles in, and on the horizon come a series of changes that throw focus on despondency all around her.
Eliza settles into her future. Back and forth a flow of stories loud or whispered, laughter and song. They watch the glittering constellations and Eliza gives thanks for the salve to her spirit.
Deep shadows rise into the light as Eliza aligns with her purpose and integrates loss and love. She receives her third and final talisman.
Eliza encounters black cockatoo and wedge-tailed eagle, birds of different feathers. With the notebook copying complete, Eliza can finally hear the women’s entreaties and their dark predictions.
As Eliza’s past resolves, here on the other side of time, a dangerous flashpoint ignites and we witness the end of the beginning. Alarmed birdcalls signal revenge and retribution.
Meg consoles Eliza, encouraging her to remember happier times. We learn of Meg’s own loss and shining inner strength. Eliza receives her second talisman.
Dependent and vulnerable, Eliza endures heartbreak. As her vitality returns, so does a reckless fury and her conviction to lay blame solely with Thomas. She turns her grief outwards to the violent storms.
Eliza’s mood lifts as her baby grows and they journey through warm, calmer seas. After leaving the Cape of Good Hope, Eliza senses disquiet as she prepares for birthing.
Eliza recalls a secret. Her body alive with child. She reads again of the sea journey’s rituals, and is reminded of her bewilderment. Alone. Apart. A tumble of conflicting emotions.
Stories and memories unfold. Meg encourages Eliza to read from her sea journal and to remember. Tentatively she begins to read, and then to experience her interior journey anew.
The notebooks begin to reveal their mysteries to Eliza. She recalls the day when everything changed. Then that night when she knew she would sail alone. Eliza receives her first talisman.
Eliza turns to Meg and begins to share her story. Gradually, the past unfurls in the telling. Her love for Thomas. Her sudden awakening. Her unbounded passion. Her hopes for their future.
Eliza’s joy bubbles forth with her study of the notebooks, and her dreams evoke a gentle, yearning spirit. She faces an uncomfortable truth and resolves to yield to newfound insight.
Eliza grapples for a sense of place, even in her dreams. Beguiled by the sentinel, Eliza finds only emptiness. Still doubting the value of her shadow self, Eliza surrenders to the notebooks.
The women on the headland continue to encourage Eliza, and she finds some grace, humour and renewed purpose. Her dreams evince treasured memories and ghostly spirits.
Eliza sees playfulness in the women, yet there on the headland, her own spirit wavers as shadows resurface. Drained of hope, Eliza faces her failure to embody her vision for a new world.
As Spring arrives in the colony, Eliza gathers her spirit through her morning musings. Her dreams provide no insight to her purpose, yet they do arouse memories. We begin to see what sets Eliza apart.
Just as a bird yearns to sing, Eliza needs a way through to the language of the Yura. The winter settles in, and on the horizon come a series of changes that throw focus on despondency all around her.
On her walk to the headland, Eliza encounters more characters from her dream. Joy soon turns to disappointment as shadows emerge and everything seems beyond her grasp. We learn of Eliza's husband, Thomas.
We meet Eliza as she wakes from a lucid dream, her body reawakened. Holding fast to this newly discovered joy, she shares her delight and her new intention with her neighbour Meg, the midwife.
Ambient music for warmth and quiet. A time to unfold ... In the calm of morning grey ~ I kiss your sleeping lips ~ and feel you curl against me ~ smiling joy of bright blue day ~ encircled yearning to taste ~ the build of rainstorm ~ thundering on tin ~ riding bareback and ~ brazen in the dark ~ we lie in wait ~ to feed our dreams ~ and I hold you ~ I hold you ~ I hold you ~ until we’re unbroken
e m e r g i n g ~ ~ hearts lift ~ we breathe ~ & listen ~ rhythm of the day ~ round & round the ~ beauty of our circling ~ in & under ~ over & around ~ we breathe ~ & listen ~ we are that which ~ we make yet ~ how we dream ~ & yearn ~ for memory ~ silken threads ~ shining with desire ~ we are not our minds ~ so much more than ~ our minds we ~ breathe again ~ deeply we breathe as ~ fear trembles in the breeze ~ light against the shadows lurking ~ nightbird screaming from the dark ~ we are not our minds so much ~ more than our minds we fly ~ we breathe & listen ~ moving forward ~ taking flight ~ taking pleasure ~ tasting words & ~ striving for our needs ~ we trust dreaming straw ~ spinning into gold ~ hearts lift ~ we breathe ~ we listen ~ we breathe & ~ then we rise
'I am magpie' is a lyric novel that will appeal to those interested in explorations of the enlightened age of the late 1700s, or in Australian historical fiction of the very early colonial years in Sydney and in Indigenous language of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For those engaged in Jungian shadow work, observe Eliza’s struggle through her dreams and her daily endeavour, to integrate various female archetypes on her quest. In Eliza we see the vibrant innocence of puella, the benevolence of mother, the wild passions of lover, the determination of a pioneering spirit and the striving for wisdom echoed in her older friend and neighbour, Meg.
'I am magpie' is a lyric novel of Australian historical fiction set in the very early colonial years in Sydney. This story references the enlightened age of the late 1700s and the Indigenous language of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. Observe Eliza’s struggle through her dreams and her daily endeavour to create a worthy social contract. In Eliza we see the vibrant innocence of the young woman, the benevolence of mother, the wild passions of lover, the determination of a pioneering spirit and the striving for wisdom echoed in her older friend and neighbour, Meg.
Eliza settles into her future. Back and forth a flow of stories loud or whispered, laughter and song. They watch the glittering constellations and Eliza gives thanks for the salve to her spirit.
Deep shadows rise into the light as Eliza aligns with her purpose and integrates loss and love. She receives her third and final talisman.
Eliza encounters black cockatoo and wedge-tailed eagle, birds of different feathers. With the notebook copying complete, Eliza can finally hear the women’s entreaties and their dark predictions.
As Eliza’s past resolves, here on the other side of time, a dangerous flashpoint ignites and we witness the end of the beginning. Alarmed birdcalls signal revenge and retribution.
Meg consoles Eliza, encouraging her to remember happier times. We learn of Meg’s own loss and shining inner strength. Eliza receives her second talisman.
Dependent and vulnerable, Eliza endures heartbreak. As her vitality returns, so does a reckless fury and her conviction to lay blame solely with Thomas. She turns her grief outwards to the violent storms.