the greenman: lover, father, husband

i have always had an affinity for the greenman...
an almost spiritual bond with him since i was a small
girl and learned of him from my welsh great gran mum and
my adoration has not abated with my eventual maturation,
if anything
it has grown....
and deepened

i consider myself a Christian pagan...as if i am one of those
who converted early on but still clings to the "old ways" knowing
deep in her heart that they are not mutually exclusive...

....the english music group..(who i also adore)
XTC says it so well in their song Greenman:

and one of the lines there that speak to me is:
" See the Greenman blow his kiss from high church wall
An unknowing church will amplify his call"







Ooooo...other lines from that song that resonate with me...
even somewhat erotically...

And you know for a million years he has been your lover
He'll be a million more
And you know for a million years he has been your lover
Down through the skin to the core
Heed the Greenman
Heed the Greenman

And you know for a million years he has been your father
He'll be a million more
And you know for a million years he has been your father
Run to his arms at the door

Please to bend down for the one called the Greenman
He wants to make you his bride
Please to bend down for the one called the Greenman
Forever to him you're tied
-----
so the greenman in essence is both father, lover, husband
the incestuous eroticism about that intrigues me on...
strange, yes....but he's abstract
i also think of it as the father, son and holy ghost...
hmmmm how odd that the duality and the tryptych
in a lot of the old gods were also echoed in Christianity
for full lyrics and more info check out the XTC Chalkhills website.

the greenman illustration shown above was by: George Doutsiopoulos