Portents

Old Man
Threescore and ten I can remember well,
Within the volume of which time I have seen
Hours dreadful and things strange, but this sore night
Hath trifled former knowings.

Ross
Ah, good father,
Thou seest the heavens, as troubled with man's act,
Threaten his bloody stage. By the clock 'tis day,
And yet dark night strangles the traveling lamp.
Is't night's predominance, or the day's shame,
That darkness does the face of earth entomb,
When living light should kiss it?

Old Man
'Tis unnatural,    
Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday last,
A falcon, towering in her pride of place,
Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed.

Ross
And Duncan's horses — a thing most strange and certain — 
Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race,
Turned wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out,
Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would make
War with mankind.

Old Man
'Tis said they ate each other.

In Guy Shrubshole's book about rainforests, I read about an ancient Welsh poem called 'Cad Goddeu' ('The Battle of the Trees'). This describes an invasion of the world by beasts from the Otherworld, in response to which Gwydion 'the great magician of Britain' raises an army of trees to see them off. The army includes the rowan, who arrives 'late to the muster' - possibly an allusion to its late flowering, Guy speculates

Rowan has been here since the end of the last ice age. It is a pioneer tree, one of the first to establish on new ground, and grows at a higher altitude than any other native tree - hence its other name, 'mountain ash'. It is laden with myth and folklore, most of it highly positive. It was seen as protective against magic and evil spirits, so planted beside houses and in graveyards. It was said that milk stirred with its wood would not curdle, and it was used for charms and to ward off rheumatism. The pentagram on the base of the berries was also said to be a lucky symbol

Scotland has a particular reverence for the tree - it was taboo to cut it at all, especially with a knife, or use any part, save the berries. An exception was that a threshing tool of rowan wood was used to extract grain for rituals and celebrations

Echoing the medieval belief that order in the kingdom was dependant upon having a good and wise king (or queen!), Shakespeare's Scottish play mirrors the regicide at its heart with reports of unnatural events in the natural world - a problem that was also eventally solved by a warrior woodland. I worry, then, that our rowan is bearing fruit and flowers in the same season

I salvaged this tree as a seedling, growing under a brick in a dark corner; it has done well since it was replanted in a kinder spot. If it is responding to disorder, I want to know if it is our parochial concerns that have disturbed it, or the wider turmoil in our national and international politics, or indeed humanity's disruption of the entire planet. Perhaps it is anticipating another battle, and doesn't intend to be late this time