What Use Is Magic If It Can't

Marveling At His Own Boldness, He Said Softly, "i Would Enter Your Sleep If I Could, And Guard You There, And Slay The Thing That Hounds You, As I Would If It Had The Courage To Face Me In Fair Daylight. But I Cannot Come In Unless You Dream Of Me.

The Moon Was Gone, But To The Magician's Eyes The Unicorn Was The Moon, Cold And White And Very Old, Lighting His Way To Safety, Or To Madness.

There's A Phrase, "sitzfleisch", Which Means Just Plain Sitting On Your Ass And Getting It Done. Just Showing Up For Work. My Uncle Raphael Was A Painter, And He Used To Say, "if The Muse Is Late For Work, Start Without Her". You Have To Be There. You Have To Be There, And Do It, And Grind It Out, Even When It Is Grinding And You Know You're Probably Going To Rewrite All This Tomorrow.

But I Must Go On," Said The Lady Amalthea, "for It Is Never Finished. Even When I Wake, I Cannot Tell What Is Real, And What I Am Dreaming As I Move And Speak And Eat My Dinner. I Remember What Cannot Have Happened, And Forget Something That Is Happening To Me Know. People Look At Me As Though I Should Know Them, And I Do Know Them In The Dream, And Always The Fire Draws Me Nearer, Though I Am Awake—

Unicorns Are Immortal. It Is Their Nature To Live Alone In One Place: Usually A Forest Where There Is A Pool Clear Enough For Them To See Themselves -- For They Are A Little Vain, Knowing Themselves To Be The Most Beautiful.