Classic Icon: The Owl

All right then... Most of us have heard of the famous nonsensical poem "The Owl and the Pussycat", and the fact that Winnie the Pooh insisted on having a friend named Owl, who coincidentally, was one.

So, when I came across a picture of a Little Owl coin, and as the owl is associated with the goddess Athena, who is associated with the arts, which is associated with this site, I thought it would be the subject of the day's post.

Owls, whose popularity has experienced a recent resurgence due to the success of the Harry Potter phenomenon, have long been symbols of wisdom and culture. In ancient Athens, the form of monetary exchange was a coin nicknamed the "owl". The goddess Athena was on one side, the owl, considered the mascot of the city, with olive branch and crescent moon on the opposite. These coins are quite cute as you can see, and very popular with collectors.




An interesting song re owls is the following - "The Owl with Knees" written and performed by a band called The Books. Lyrics posted below...



Eat rye straw
Leave, withdraw
Drink ink tea
Stay with me

Fame stay shy
By way of why
Wait, lie low
Old ones' odd odes

Read. Read on
Read, read on
Breathe, be calm
You're gone, gone on

It's strange to see how time agrees
To slow down for owls with knees.

Read. Read on
Read, read on
Breathe, be calm
You’re gone, gone on


Contemplation of the meaning of this song takes the place of the poem of the week, lol...

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