2006 IMBOLC/LUGHNASADH SHORT POEM ENTRIES

[Donegal]

Gaineamh.

It showed how it ran
The foot in the earth,
The man in the soil,
The cracks in the ground.
It showed how it hopped
And flew from the soil
And far from the earth
The bird in the sky.
Anuas.
They show where to go
The marks on the beach
The words people say
The tongue and the heart.
He shows what to say
The priest in the Church
The ewe in the field
The Lamb on the Cross.
The past knows.
Bhí Tá Beidh
No need for a future
The sea is yesterday
The sky is yesterday
Tomorrows none.

[DaRC]

Winter whispers

Winter whispers medically in
wearing spring green surgical masks.
It enters to perform the hard tasks.

This consultant, in seasonal mood,
examines lists from Alder to Yew.
Triage is a doc's unpleasant due.

Whipping wind is this surgeon's scalpel,
clamp and saw from the snow and sleet.
Jack covers all with a cold white sheet.

My bike, whistling to the medics,
invites them to whip out their scalpel
and slice through my fleece apparel.

"Not today!" I sing at the frost gleams
like the Robin fluffed out in the trees.
Winter patiently waits whilst warmth flees.

[Gedio-B-]

The Great War
Gerard Byrne

Into the earth the lines were drawn,
Warriors there from the three great hordes.
“Demon” came a cry, “Infidel” form another,
“Pagan” they cried as they fought each other.

“Allah is merciful,” came the plea,
“Sorry my friend, I find peace in the trees.”
“The heart of Jesus beats within you”
and all three hordes, they sang as they slew.

Steel to flesh and flesh ripped through,
Bound in the hatred, the murdering too.
As the warriors fell with a smile on their face,
“I’m leaving now, for a better place.”

When the battle was done they turned back to see,
Everything that now had came to be.
And when they looked back, a tear did fall,
Death all around them, their friends on the floor.

And after that day when the blood was shed,
All three come as one, and proclaimed, they said,
“Peace there shall be, and conflict no more.”
This was the end of last Great War.

[Gedio-B-]

Black heart
Gerard Byrne

When I look into you I don't see a man,
A hardened black heart is all that I can.

You torment people at nothing but leisure.
Evil, but you won't break this treasure.

I have it; we have it, others I know
People with feelings and compassion that shows.

Shall you never have this which the people who care do?
That love that says my dearest friend,
I’d do anything for you.

Well burn we shall, with love lit aflame,
Through the joy, sorrow, passion and the pain.
Shall you understand corrodes you inside,
That cold lifeless breath drawn in fear of the night?

Love is our treasure, our greatest gold,
Above all the earths do this we hold.
A prize so dear, and yet so cold,
Which because of your black heart,
You shall never hold.

[Elsie]

The birth of the chase
Lisa Jones

A call carried on winter's wind,
Sharp and silent from a spirits bow.
Fired from the North bleak lands,
We feel it burn into unprepared hands.

Rise from the East.
Rise, rise,
Reveal to us promise in the misty dawn.
Let us be saved by he reborn.

He comes, he hastens, he rises from the horizon.
See the glorious hope he brings.
See him hunt for his shadowy wife.
See together they shall conceive life.

[Elsie]

Dapples of light

Lisa Jones

Dapples of light
creating butterflies and dragons
in the shadows that play
upon my blank canvas.
They filter through the tired leaves
of the giftfull plum tree.
For every fruit that fell
upon the hardened ground
I was awakened to the tune
of harvest bound.
And now she will prepare to sleep.
Secrets from the breezes keep.
Seen only in
dapples of shade
that create rivers and pools
in the shimmers that float
across my page.

[Elsie]

For my Anam Cara
Lisa Jones

Did you see in the woods
The lady reach out her arms
So she might wrap them around you?
Did you hear in the rustle of leaves
A soft spoken voice
Reach out and welcome you?
Did she fall silent then
So you might be heard?
Anam Cara who passes the gate
with a silently speaking soul,
I hope it shall never be too late
For me to take over her role.
Just for a passing
of moon across sky
Your friend of the forest
In hope shall be I.

[Tristan]

Entry

Peaceful traveler

Torrid rock slide
Gray stone mountain
Weary traveler
On the ledge
Ringtail squirrel
And swollen chipmunk
Rustling playful
In the bush
Corrupted mountain
Burnt by fire
Legacy
Of the flames
Blackened tree stumps
Stoically standing defiant
In the rain
Shuffling downward
Traveler descending
With peaceful hunger
For more delight

[Dreoilin Conocht]

Badge of office
By
Dreoilín Cónocht
/|\

I of the seven colors adorn the fox face arm
My harp is my badge
Using never to harm
I travel freely upon land
Without any tax
My stories are true
Sticking always to facts

The song I shall play for you
Will enchant you to sing
You will hear me before I arrive
By my bells that do ring

I carry a golden branch
I am a Doctor of Poetry
I am a Bard of twelve years
I keep the genealogy

You will know my song by the taste of Salmon
You will know my company among Groves of Hazel
For when the Blackbird sings
And shakes its wings
You have seen the Gods gift
And know I am able
To cause your Sleep, Slumber and Snore
To cause your Weeping, Wailing and more
To cause your Joyful gyrations galore…
For;
My talent is a service
I offer freely to inspire
Giving over my tune
Beside any Nemed fire

[Dreoilin Conocht]

Bird Song
By
Dreoilín Cónocht
/|\

From fin to fur a feather did fly
For all the birds I now cry

A Robin in a rose bush
A Wren in a nest
The Blackbirds call the Druids song
The Raven at his best

The Eagles flight from high cliffs
Gulls feathers in the sand
Our goddesses voice the Crane song
for a people in every land

Dusky skies the Larks song
The Owls haunting evening words
Gave birth to the moons glimmered leaves
shone bright
Hear the cry now for the Birds

Swimming Swans in every pond
The coloured wings of the Drake
Filled the bogs and the moors over glommed
From fog and work for heavens sake

Apple to Oak the Thrush did pass
Seeding along within his grasp
Mistletoe in every hand
from Druid rite
To Catholic Mass

[Dreoilin Conocht]

Stone Memory
The Frozen Giants
By
Dreoilín Cónocht
/|\

Dragon lines followed
The land be hallowed
Giants dance in the distance

Down the avenue
Where the ancients knew
Singing stones stand

Heart beats hard
Blood boiled loud
Time opens a space again

Gazing at the gate
No time to be late
Act now before the strong rays

Silent and awaiting
Never hesitating
The birth of the light into the womb

Radiant and bright
Shines a new light
Songs bounce off stones again

Too narrow to walk through
On a land where ancients drew
Gods and dead combine with rays

A spirit door
A speckled gate
A passage way
Souls innate

Sending off
All now receding
Voices lift
And the Sun is leaving

[Underground River]

It's Time

It's almost time to be born
There is new life in the air
I am yet surrounded by the mother
I fear to leave her side
I must be born
It's time for me to be eased out into the world
It's time to cut the cord
Time for me to drink the mother's life-giving milk
It's time for me to eat and sleep and play
Time to crawl and walk and run
Time for me to grow and gather and grip hold of life
Time to fear to doubt to dread to wonder to weep to wail to whine but still to go on
Time for me to learn and laugh and love and leap and flutter and glide and fly and soar and swoop and spin and tumble and fall and swim and submerge and sink and dive and drown and float again
Time for me to settle
To set to sit to see that I am not the stupid selfish sordid silly mess I always thought myself to be
Time for me to remember, to relax, to revere, to respect, to read, to reach, to retrieve, to relearn, to regroup
Time for me to dwindle, to dissolve, to diminish, to dissipate, to disappear
Then finally
To die...
Then to recharge reawaken reemerge become begin believe be born again!
October 19, 2005.

[Underground River]

Riverwind

I walk by the river
A fresh wind blows in my face
A delicious riverwind
Cool air's soft embrace
I think of places far away
Of friends I've yet to meet
As the riverwind touches me
I walk on lightened feet
The river down there dark and mysterious
Its wind continues to blow
A song of winter and ice-bound water
Covered in deepest snow
I long to walk down to that river
And I shall one of these days
When the ice is hard and stable
I shall walk that way
To cross that magic river
Who's wind blows strong and fair
To thank it for being my friend
Dear riverwind, you're always there...
December 31, 2005.

[Underground River]

WARNING: If you have difficulties with breathing I suggest keeping your inhaler etc. near by. This poem describes being smothered and may induce fear in those who read it. The poem isn't actually about being smothered by a pillow, but it could be taken that way.

The Pillow

A soft pillow
Upon my face
Cool fabric
Then warmed by my body heat
Gentle, loving
Then too loving
Slowly, it presses down
First mildly annoying
Then uncomfortable
Then really so
Then frightening
Then terrifying
I suddenly realize I cannot breathe
I try and push the pillow away
It is an immovable weight
Held there by strong hands
My body screams for air
There is no air to be had
I struggle and thrash
Then more weekly
More weekly still
My vision receeds
My world darkens
Then is black
Slowly I die
Then am dead
Smothered.
December 3, 2005.

[Midnightpentacle125]

Haiku: misty morning

Silent whispers blow
Moonlit morning wet grass
moon and sun mingle

[Romelia]

Under The Oak

Waste lands stretch before my tired aching feet,
A destiny waits ahead… unchallenged, and never sleeps.
Prominent it glows with a noxious gas
Its foul putridness overflowing the soul.

Still ill walk thought its stench,
Tread the glass and purge the cynicism.
Feel no fear, shed not one bitter tear.
Ill stand alone and deify my fate,
Ill take its eyes, remove its tongue.

This fallow land shall be rich again,
Nature will take back her pride of place.
And I, directed by her fervent hand,
Will fight the shadows that blight the land.

When I have conquered and ruined my foe;
Found light in the darkness and love by my side,
An oak tree I'll plant for the end of my time.
Beneath his deep bedded roots my weary body shall lie,
And I will sing from his bough,
Amongst the seasons, carried on the wistful winds of time.

Romelia

[Tristan]

The first step



Blocky quivering mountainside
Hovering over a stream
Wistful blissful willows
Haunting me
Daring me to come nearer
To see and
Experience the morning
Beset by fear
I place my foot on the path
Piercing cries taunt me gleefully
In the trees
Hot angst of nightmare dreams
A sickle in my mind
Fleshing it out
Making me flee
Softly with regret
I turn
And leave
The peace of the mountain
And sigh with misunderstood
Relief

[Gwilym Goch]

A Year of Moons

Many swift moons white
bright light of life -
carve in me your curve.

Quill-blade - you curl, bloom,
illuminate this voluminous
dream, you are gleaming,
you - sure poise of pure sharpness.

Cut through quiet thought
caught in care of grace.
Trace one true image:
you, oh so imagined -
eyes blue with blood.

Your blade is fine, Lady.
The wine of wisdom
bleeds forth with blood's faith.

[radgareb]

Faith for tommorow
Hope is the wave in the distant surf,
drawing close, washing over earth.

Only to receed again, leaving in its wake
shifting sand.

Some comfort though we may find, for there
is always another wave waiting in line.

And if a special Shell you seek, perhaps
tommorow Llyr will leave one at your feet.

[radgareb]

Tam Lin

What fate has tempted me here.
These bonds alone I cant break.
Yet what maiden could embrace.
The many wild beast who conceal my true face.
Bound to these wood by a Queen I cant know.
Why does my Janet not come.
I fear these beast are growing strong and cold.