Renaissance - Northern Lights

The PROLOGUE to this tale begins with a TRIP TO THE FAIR, held annually by THE SISTERS of Mercy charity. The trip led to THE DISCOVERY of the book "One Thousand and One Nights". I REMEMBER the GOLDEN THREAD of the story concerns THE CAPTIVE HEART of SCHEHERAZADE, THE ENTERTAINER of the RAJAH KHAN, a MIDAS MAN of immense riches with a BLACK FLAME burning in his heart. The AIR OF DRAMA in the OPENING OUT of the story tells how SCHEHERAZADE finds the GOLDEN KEY to saving her life is to relate the tale of the 1001 nights. She wins over the JEKYLL AND HYDE nature of the King with her exotic tales, and he shows her KINDNESS AT THE END by managing to SPARE SOME LOVE in his black heart by marrying his PRECIOUS LOVE. She becomes his queen in this dramatic tale of KINGS AND QUEENS and lost INNOCENCE. One of the PEARLS OF WISDOM I learned from the book is that LOVE GOES ON to conquer all in the end when  LOVE IS ALL you need.

I'm a WANDERER at heart and the book inspired me to travel on a SECRET MISSION to the DISTANT HORIZONS of Istanbul ON THE FRONTIER of Asia aboard the ORIENT EXPRESS. It sometimes feels like time is RUNNING AWAY FROM YOU and I was RUNNING HARD like a BULLET  out of a gun in THE RACE to arrive on time AT THE HARBOUR. I arrived just in time to set sail across the English Channel on the OCEAN GYPSY ferry and leave behind the ISLAND of Great Britain. I love the SOUNDS OF THE SEA and it was a beautiful day IN THE SUNSHINE, underneath the CARPET OF THE SUN which glimmered like sparkling PORCELAIN.

Upon arrival in France, I felt like I was BOUND FOR INFINITY, with the most dramatic adventure IN MY LIFE just beginning. CAN YOU UNDERSTAND how good it felt to realise a dream when I'd LET IT GROW in my heart for so long? I still had a long way to go though but at least I was CLOSER THAN YESTERDAY to realising my dream. The FACE OF YESTERDAY was behind me now because this was the DAY OF THE DREAMER. I dreamed of  travelling to exotic places like the ISLAND of KALYNDA, A MAGICAL ISLE with a WATERFALL which sparkles BLOOD SILVER LIKE MOONLIGHT and where THE VULTURES FLY HIGH in their FLIGHT over distant shores. That was about as likely as seeing FAERIES LIVING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN though and my dreams vanished as quickly as the flames on a funeral pyre when only the ASHES ARE BURNING.

My real ambition was to eventually travel north from Istanbul to KIEV to experience exotic THINGS I DON'T UNDERSTAND, including those mysterious UKRAINE WAYS. I'd have to be careful to avoid TOUCHING ONCE on the delicate subject of the recent war with Russia though. I was planning  to head to the  northwest of MOTHER RUSSIA where I'd heard the extreme COLD IS BEING like the inside of a freezer. I'd love to see the NORTHERN LIGHTS for the first time with their MAJIK shimmering SYMPHONY OF LIGHT. It'd be like one of those awesome moments when you could sing A SONG FOR ALL SEASONS and CRY TO THE WORLD with joy and shout "CAN YOU HEAR ME now"?

I had a long journey ahead but I was looking forward to being  BACK HOME ONCE AGAIN with my FRIENDS, when I'd be sure to remind them that I THINK OF YOU when I'm away.

All song titles in HIGHLIGHTS by Renaissance

The Complete Renaissance Discography including:- Illusion; Annie Haslam solo; Jane Relf's Renaissance; Michael Dunford's Renaissance; & Annie Haslam's Nevada!

  1969: Renaissance - Renaissance - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzBITz-Aj2jL0lSZTZBUOtk0

  1971: Renaissance - Illusion - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzA0ICCXewMw4SdOGuGKy8IN

  1972: Renaissance - Prologue - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzClJlUJBwqWdpmkTFrvgD4-

  1973: Renaissance - Ashes Are Burning - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzD5Uokecbg3XezyRZ7gmq04

  1974: Renaissance - Turn of the Cards - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzA-hmlkinPbPmlHD4CNTphg

  1975: Renaissance - Scheherazade and Other Stories - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzDgVPezd4CDucu7iewHWO1a

  1976: Renaissance - Live at Carnegie Hall - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzDOnLYsyDrS3q1TZCKagors

  1977: Renaissance - Novella - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzBeyUyA9BIxOv95Ifzm1aY2

  1977: Renaissance - Live at the BBC Sight & Sound - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzA9jwulhettWzOwBETXxFjV

  1977: Annie Haslam - Annie in Wonderland - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzD1gdBAZ4oCXCGp-Qh6MK-O

  1977: Illusion - Out of the Mist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzDx6YLTS_wxGygJ2QeWtaTS

  1978: Illusion - Illusion - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzComSTlHSjFTjBGDWEpKJue

  1978: Renaissance - A Song for All Seasons - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzBknz6eRGBZDvHi34IU-egg

  1979: Renaissance - Azure d'Or - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzC6DMp8eWMLSVLjHZINT261

  1979: Illusion - Enchanted Caress - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzDuvow70oYqdJAYXBLU1ueb

  1981: Renaissance - Camera Camera - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzAOD2K46-qWwR7qHvKWp1z9

  1983: Renaissance - Time-Line - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kkENx6uE_Jx4iviNzsI0cufhckMrmhIPc

  1985: Annie Haslam - Still Life - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzCj8S9JA6j6YM4Q0gldOa8S

  1989: Annie Haslam - Annie Haslam - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzBnhnN-5aMSHn7vuu39sQj2

  1994: Annie Haslam - Blessing in Disguise - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzDFua7-v1tm_4bJVnxXT8PQ

  1994: Michael Dunford's Renaissance - The Other Woman (no playlist currently available )

  1997: Michael Dunford's Renaissance - Ocean Gypsy (no playlist currently available )

  1997: Renaissance - Songs from Renaissance Days - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzCBay2KqM-bXgiZVfIVwFLt

  1997: Annie Haslam - Live in Philadelphia - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzBXmhVhtH_JvzxIL0XGHySj

  1998: Annie Haslam - Live Under Brazilian Skies - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzA17r7Nj8QlKnFrTmJ5zJ3r

  1999: Annie Haslam - The Dawn of Ananda - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzBEuStG0V69Xa9yZfcQdade

  2000: Annie Haslam - It Snows in Heaven Too - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzCuL8RNTj6aRgO2VpNU2vEP

  2000: Annie Haslam's Nevada - Pictures in the Fire - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzCqHhEao6vdKpCJZ_QkllTu

  2001: Renaissance - Tuscany - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzAXM0dLc3ENwGY3A69UICdZ

  2001: Renaissance Illusion - Through the Fire - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzB6nIaz74g4UMMlZFtkorMe

  2002: Renaissance - In the Land of the Rising Sun - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzB8vjW6Z-8vVdhGIH_jJ_z-

  2002: Annie Haslam - One Enchanted Evening - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzBwi5NA_FR-Ax3_5-KCJDV-

  2007: Annie Haslam - Woman Transcending - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzBGTt-r2gMDul-w1du8u3GD

  2008: Renaissance - Dreams and Omens - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzCExCw0f0WtOfxkC305HeBD

  2008: Jane's Renaissance: The Complete Jane Relf Collection - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mvCdYFHpJN_UOBNSwICSg_6HOv5Z4denQ

  2014: Renaissance - Symphony of Light - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzAGV_7EhSYKtg2YLULSmQB5

  2015: Renaissance - Live at the Union Chapel - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzA-hYWcF3-pkDpPi9UvcS24

  2018: Renaissance - A Symphonic Journey -  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLikNHjJ_cxzCrxDU1rVreTB_968mjMt6y