2008 SAMHUINN/BELTANE LONG POEM ENTRIES

[Earthwoman]

Entries for This Season's Competition are now Closed.
Voting Begins on October 24. Once the voting begins, you may vote here for Long Poems.

Notice: Please use the poll to cast vote(s) for your favorite long poems. You cannot select more than three. ONLY those votes submitted to the poll will be tallied. Votes submitted as posts below will not be counted.

This category contains original long poems for the current Eisteddfod. Long poems must be over 30 lines.

[City Druid]

This is a poem about winter and its darkness reminding me my love of it
I have wrote winter in the form of a Goddess as I find winter and the dark very provocative



How deep she sits


The day sinks into night
blackness overcomes
I watch
as she spreads her Veil thinly across the land,
I here a sound
like a whisper in the distance
becoming louder and louder
until it echoes
creaks the trees
stirs the crows
and shimmers through the crisp golden leaves,
then,
it hits me,
creeps upon me
caresses me gently
she grabs hold of me
wraps her velvet arms tightly
I stumble
I spread my heart beneath her feet and pray
pray for I have basked myself in light
and I have forgotten
but she reminds me
as she dances with my heart around me
I ‘d forgotten
how intoxicating
how deep she sits
how warm her chill
how soothing her sorrow
I have forgotten her beauty
and she reminds me
she reminds me I m alive
she reminds me I am here
and my boots become heavy
and I am reborn
but not in the morn of spring, in vibrant life
but in darkness in night
amongst death in all her glory


Tim Hall 26/09/2008.














.

[Bran-Raeven]

i looked for you at samhuinn

i looked for you at samhuinn
but i didn't find you there

my friend, some time's been passing
since we shared bed and woes

I took your love for granted,
your breath to mine always be close

now moons and suns have risen
and fell again, you are no more

I've cried, I've lived, I've mourned and risen
but still this pain remains

now still this hope that sparks in me
to look for you in ancient rites

for I've been told by druid's tongues
that samhuinn is when curtains fall

that when the rites be done in faith
departures will be made undone

so I read books and asked the wise
and everything I did, prepared

for I would not leave one thing forgotten
to bring you once back to me, my friend

I brought candles, black and white,
a chalice, wand and shaman's drums

brought incense, rattle, sacrifice
and runes to lift the secret

set them in order rightfully
so true magic can be done

I asked the winds, the fire, the north, the south,
and every spirit in this world

I chose the perfect time and sphere,
cleared all my mind and soul

I danced and chanted all night long
cast spells and flames and rites

would sit there in this darkest night,
yet search for you in vain

with trembling voice I called for you,
despair now rising and the pain

the moon would shine and wane again,
leave me to the star's cold gaze

and still I waited, prayed and begged
to have you - just one glimpse

but as I waited, cried and tried
my senses failed and died

in darkness I would lie alone
not knowing time nor space

until the morning glow would wake
the perfect rite and time, all gone

wasted, failed and still alone
tears merging now with dew

still without you, I would rise
empty, slain and full of fear

my eyes would fall on fires of dawn,
on mists, on trees, where once we walked

and as I stared, still dazed in pain
tears rolling down my face

it struck me as I realized
you have been there all along

the moon, your eyes, watched over me
only to turn into your smile, the sun

my hands that touched soft grass in awe
had been stroking your fair hair

the whispering willow had been your voice
your wild laughter in the wind

your spirit in the owl, the lizard
every raindrop a touch of your skin

it was then when I realized my err
I had not lost you, never so

i looked for you at samhuinn
but i didn't find you there

i found you in the world around me
deep in my soul within

for my beloved soul companion Cooper

[Zardoz]

-- This text has been conceived in New Zealand
& is dedicated to this beautiful land and its Druids.--


Kingfisher, Fisher King


I am the warrior
waiting for the blow
watching
in stillness
alert for hours
clad in a splendid coat
of blue-and-gold,
guardian of the land.

I am the poet
waiting for wisdom
watching
in stillness
patiently sitting
perched on his seat
knowing there will be
one golden moment
shimmering out of nothing
& then the leap into the blue
no fear, unblinking
I drop.

I am the wise man
in stillness
knowing
all is one
denying the division
between air & water
between now & then
all is in the moment
of falling.

I am the kingfisher
diving down
like pen or spear
to unknown depths
fearlessly exploding
into cold purity.


/|\

(c) Zardoz C.S. 2008

[Leil]

THE WEAVING

How to speak of it?

This is a glimpse of Cerridwen's cauldron in truth
Earth and Air and Fire and Water
Grounding and insight, vitality and peace,
To be and to see and to do and to sleep
This is the stuff of Cerridwen's brew
The Nwyfre flowing into the center
Heaven and Earth
The heart of the matter
Calling the Awen into the world.

How to speak of it?
These are the tools of the Bard:
To be grounded in a stable reality
To bond with the earth and it's tides and it's seasons
To see clearly into the insightful air, to take away the gifts of vision
To wield the energy of the living, to celebrate all the passions of this world
To be still and silent, to welcome the voices of the dead.

The circle and the cauldron are one
One are the rhythms of vision
One are the currents of Nwyfre
One out of many, many from one
Eighty-four thousand beings of light
Times and seasons and deities.

How to speak of it?
Knowing the center
Turning the circles of Abred
Opening the gates of the wheel of the year.

How to speak of it?
Now that I've died
To all of the terms and conditions preceeding?
My life and my art, my loves and my hopes
Re-made and un-made and broken and formed
Anew and again and beyond and within
Words and tunes and pictures and feelings
Lost and found in the cauldron.

How to live through the madness of Merlin?
How to put on one's boots in the morning?
How to re-learn to breath?

[Earthwoman]

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