2008 BELTANE/SAMHUINN SHORT POEM ENTRIES

[Earthwoman]

Notice: Please add your original short poems for the current Eisteddfod here. Short poems must be 30 lines or less.

[pangurban]

May Day Dances.

Sunrise and the sound of bells jingle
down May strewn lanes.
Where white clad men with work
hardened hands
stride to the village green
accompanied
by the sleepy drone of bees,
which they overshadow,
with the music of fiddle and drum.
To and fro they move
dancing the life of Summer in
folding up time in the hazy heat.
Then tis the time for maidens in
virginal white dresses
flowers in their sun kissed hair
to dance round the ribbon strewn pole
weaving a web of fertility,
beguiling their chosen beaus
that when the dances are done
trysting places are found
and vows before the Goddess made.

Pangur-ban 30/3/08

[RedKite]

 
Life and Death on the Hill

I walk the ridge, known as The Malvern Hills
It’s high and cold so I am dressed for snow
Life still carries on, what e’re the weather,
Some still sleep but others out hunting go

A cold Brother rushes in from the East
Mother Earth lifts him toward the blue sky
A Buzzard rides this wave, like a surfer,
as he searches for his food from on high

A tiny movement, as a vole scampers
The Buzzard folds his wings and drops to ground
Unseen death approaches for this morsel
This is the law of life upon this mound

With merciful swiftness, talons end life
for he that is lower in the food chain
The Buzzard’s dung then feeds the plants to feed
more Voles and, for them, life comes round again

© RedKite 2008
 

[Damascus-Templar]

My Path At Equinox

From the cauldron of Ceridwen
A poem now springs forth.
This from her son, a brand new Bard,
Who lives up in the North.

With pen in hand and song in heart,
And Lady-love divine,
My inspiration flowing out
With love, and words like wine.

The cauldron, skull, and Holy Grail,
And woman’s sacred womb,
To me give birth to Awen
And lift Christ from his tomb.

The Templars paid their burning price
For insight, wisdom, lore.
I’m following in their footsteps
And boldly ask for more.

The Druid journey liberates,
This poem, but a start.
For Ceridwen’s sweet cauldron
I know now is my heart.


-R.H.

[City Druid]

Solemn footsteps

No ocean for a hundred mile
Yet I can stand at the shore from here

No fires burning do I see
Yet I can smell the smoke from here

I’m overwhelmed by the complete stillness
Yet I am floating in the breeze

There’s nothing here but pure silence
Yet, I am touched by song and it sings through me, in pure symphony



Tim Hall 31/03/08

[Fox]

The Land of Breakup

I once upon a time lived in this place
where there was never a spring –
only breakup. Breakup is when the last trace
of binding ice melts and the only thing
That’s left is mud. Mud you sink right down in,
past the tops of your high top boots,
mud deep deep down enough to drown in,
down to where worms crawl through roots
of stunted trees, then you hit another sheet of ice,
the coldest ice, that never melts. It’s permafrost:
A cold dark place under the mud — no sun — not nice.
The kind of place where a soul gets lost.

I like it better now there’s a spring — warmth below and above,
And flowers, and the promise of hope — and no mud — and love.

[susan]

Beltane Fire

Beltane fire burning bright
Keeping lovers warm throughout the night
Laying by your glowing light
Caressing, whispering, and taking flight

Beltane fire burning pure
Protecting with your warmth
Glowing and giving off your light
Deep into the darkness of the night

Beltane fire stirring creativity
Arousing the sexual energy
Watching lovers embracing in ecstasy
Knowing a new life is being sown

The king and queen united once more.

[serenarian]

Goddess Inside

Take a look in the mirror
Look into your own eyes
Do you see that hidden sparkle?

Reach inside yourself and extract that love
The Mother Goddess, inside your heart
Divinity resonant in your simple words

Don't be afraid to be critical
Don't shun the sarcasm of society
But recognise you're special

Love dances inside your soul
Don't lock it up, set it free
Unleash the happiness that you can give

The rushing sea in your blood
The twinkling stars in your laughter
The way you feel when you cry

I am worthy of love
I am the chalice that collects the raindrops of divinity
I am free to taste happiness

Eala Serenarian

[eilis]

When All Is Dark

Now when all is dark
Cooing night birds sing
Gray coyotes bark
Quiet daydreams bring

Questions to linger
As hope fades away
Tears to remember
And years gone astray

I saw you again
Your hair disheveled
Far up the mountain
As light disappeared

My name was whispered
The wind in your voice
My will confounded
You gave me a choice

Have me and wonder
Leave always longing
Enduring hunger
Never belonging

[BarbaraG]

Poem for All Hallows

On certain nights you remember
That each one of us a witch
And unmasked and stands alone
Just one moment alone
Until a house of stone and red slate
Falls with a dull thud around us.
After that
Life turns for some of us to Quest.
Not to know the house
Full of dust-sheeted promise and unreflecting windows
But to find the glamoured door and lunatic
Step through.

Barbara Gittes

[Abhaill]

To Welcome Belenos at Bealtaine

From the darkness of night to the brightness of day
From the shadow of winter to summer’s clear ray
From the cold and the wet to the warmth of the sun
From the season of waiting to action begun

Out of the room where he stores the collection
Out of the gate that was locked for protection
Into the field where the flowers are blooming
Into the air full of honey-bees zooming

Under the blue sky of tumbling cloud
Under their blossoms the branches have bowed
With sweetness and beauty and laughter and love
With arms opened widely now Belenos comes!


~ Abhaill

[Moonrising]

Goddess


I am the wind
The tender breath that croons through your hair
The fierce storm that carries the clouds racing across the sky

I am the moon
The silver glow, the song of the tides
Dancing in space

I am the sea
Which caresses the sand like gentle fingers,
The rising waves which crash upon the rocks in wild joy

I am the warm soil
Moist and fertile, musk-scented
The cradle of new life

I am the grail
That encompasses the growth of all things
The womb of creation

I am the tiger defending her young
Ready to die for their life

The heart that drums with passion

The body that burns for my lover

The soul that sings with the music of the universe

I am woman

[wyeuro]

When the moon comes shining through the willows
Silv’ring every ripple with their light
That’s the time for dancing in the clear and sparkling air
Fairy dancing in the moonlit night.

When the stars are spilling rays of splendour
From the sky a-blaze with beauty bright
When the air is silv’ry neath the dark and mystic sky
That’s the time for weaving webs of light.

Spinning through the shadows of the willows
Gliding through her pools of silver light
Fairy dancers flit like tiny starlets all a-glow
Underneath the willows all the night.

If in dreams you see them at their dancing
As indeed you might if it should chance
You might hear their silv’ry voices calling out to you
Come and join us in our airy dance

Then you’ll know the splendour of the moonlight
Shining on your wings of silver bright
Then you’ll know the magic of that wild mysterious dance
Underneath the willows all the night.

Then perhaps the moon will shine the more for you
And the willow blaze with inner light,
Then the rippling waters will be filled with mystic fire
As they are for fairies of the night.

wyverne /|\

[Jarvisfamily4]

On the eve of Samhain, the garden does sleep...
what is this, child? why do you weep?
Why must the beautiful colors all die?
Oh, sweet little lambkin, 'tis but a trick of the eye!

Look here: autumn seedlings all sprout in a row,
resting silent in the brisk winter snow,
awaiting the sunshine of springtime's delight,
to warm them and make their small leaves take flight.

Oastra's daughters bask in summertime's fun,
but are miserable and gasping in the waning sun.
With mercy we pull them out from the soil
and release them from their laboring toil.

Look what they've left us: a small gift to keep -
some of their seeds burried so deep.
In springtime they'll sprout, like a Phoenix and flame,
to carry on their parental name.

The soil's been turned, the topside now down,
nestling the seeds far undergrond.
Revealing to our sight what was thus unseen,
not so unlike a sweet nighttime dream!

Not death, no, not an ending at all!
The top of the cycle that begins in fall.
When the garden does pause and heave a deep sigh,
And rests, no less weary than you or I.

So you see, darling, the garden's not dead!
We have just tucked it into its bed.
And tenderly I will tuck you in too,
For the garden needs sleep, dear, and now so do you.....

[Boru]

The Second Beltane

ebbing flowing
the river runs
the watercourse way
it’s sound and silence
the flotsam and jetsam
of tender assent to celtic yearning

waxing waning
skymoon beams upon them
silver smiles and sobs
of yes and no
until they gaze back a nod
at the druid’s oaken oath

celebrating the blossoms of spring
with whirling eyes of wonder
they dance the reel of love’s return
in gardens and city streets
where Liam and Eilis betroth
their eternal trust

[Brianna]

My Good-Night-Prayer to the Mother Goddess

You are my mother, you brought me to life,
you are my mentor, you help me to strive.
You are my sister, you share my pain,
yet ever you show me that naught is in vain.

When I feel rejected and turn inside,
you await me there and your love shines bright.
When I have nothing I still have you,
when I stumble in darkness you see me through.

When my fears try to drown me you reach out to me,
and the touch of your love always sets me free.
You guard me and guide me in whatever I do,
and in my heart I will always be true.

Oh Great Goddess, in your hands I lay
the path of my life and I vow not to stray.
For you are within me, a part of me,
and I have no greater love as for thee.

Blessed Be.
------------------------------------------------

by Brianna, January 2007, dedicated to the Mother Goddess

[Shaun Hayes]

Magic

I ask myself in the dead of night
What is this magic what is this might
Is it the curse of an old wizened maid
With a twisted wand from hazel made
Or is it a potion from some secret blend
To alter another or their life just to end
Then maybe it's a spell or dire incantation
That weaves a web with no protection
Perhaps at some level this may, with strain
Effect a change, but then again
It isn’t what I would call magic

Magic for me is the first ray of dawn
It's a clump of daffodils in a country lawn
A childs first breath or a stormy sea
These hold so much more magic for me
A spiders web hung with dew
The tiniest egg that to human grew
But far away more magical than this
Was the moment our lips first touched in a kiss
Then my heart beat so fast I was happy to die
And my soul sang a song as it learned how to fly
And thats what I would call magic

Shaun Hayes 9th March 2008

[Aylyn]

I am currently experimenting with Haikus, so here is my contribution:

Riotous Colours
Sweet Scents Floating On Warm Air
Exuberant Spring

inspired by the picture I posted in the photography section

[Willowhawk]

Prayer

Amidst the madness of my daily life, words fail me...

Let me never forget to stop,

to breathe,

to reflect,

to be.

Let me remember my place in the web of All that Is,

Remind me of my beginnings,

of the beginnings of all things,

and also of their endings.

Teach me, Lady of Flames,

Lady of Healing,

Lady of Poetry,

to find inspiration in the minutiae of my life,

to see wonder

and to praise all Nature.

[Ade Sundog]

May this be a blessing .
Your eyes a pool in moongleams ,
Your Holy breath went out
I felt your shallow blood cool
And the might of your limbs
Sag soft , as breathing in the coldsnow
You went to the last place i touched
The place between your eyes .
May this be a blessing .
I carried you my girl my moon my star my magpie
I carried you out to die ,
Holding the blanket I carried myself out
Into the coldsun , into life ,
Into the place i left you .
May this be a blessing.
Where trees sway and flowers smile
Where the sunshines where you are ,
May this be a blessing .
Never alone nor cold ,
In your Mothers heart .
May this be a blessing .