Mercurial

Fleet of foot
With elegant form
And winged heels
He rises from the earth
Looking heavenward
Before guiding souls
On their journey below.

While braving the incessant rain and exploring the gardens of Walmer Castle (built during reign of Henry VIII and now official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports) in Deal today, we came across this statue of Mercury.

Mercury is the Roman god of many things - financial gain, commerce, travellers, boundaries, luck, trickery and thieves - but is probably best known for eloquence, poetry and communication (including divination). He's also the guide of souls to the underworld and shares characteristics with the Greek god Hermes. The word mercurial is commonly used to refer to something or someone erratic, volatile or unstable, derived from Mercury's swift flights from place to place.

Hoping for better weather tomorrow ....