VOTE NOW! 2009 IMBOLC/LUGHNASADH SEASONAL ENTRIES

[Earthwoman]

Entries for This Season's Competition are now Closed
Notice: Please use the poll to cast vote for your favorite seasonal entry. 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.

Notice: This is the Pepper (Piastra) Scott Memorial Category for seasonal entries. Please vote for the best work that reflects the current season for this Eisteddfod. For example, in the Imbolc/Lughnasadh Eisteddfod the work must be about either Imbolc or Lughnasadh. Any type of work can be submitted (Poetry, Artwork, Photography etc.). Judging in this category should be based on the work that best reflects the season. Completely original entries ONLY.

[Leaflady]

Heart of Earth Icon
Egg tempera on gessoed panel, 5.5"x7.5"

Heart of Earth Icon.jpg

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[Fox]

Imbolc

Green leaf uncurling
On a gnarled elder tree
Green spring unfurling
Its flag and heraldry

The rain is cold, the wind is strong
And yet the world is turning
With sunlight and birdsong
And green leaves uncurling

[City Druid]

a poem to the love of my life


Footsteps in the snow


In the bluest skies I see your eyes,
reflecting back from frozen ice,
I feel your breast as I walk through the snow,
softly tread as I go,
a silent whisper of wind round my ear,
just lets me know, you know I am here,
so my footsteps I leave for you,
an impression of my love that just grew and grew
but when spring comes and these footsteps melt away,
you should know my heart will stay
as the light you lit will never fade
and I will love you Bride, beyond my dying days.



Tim Hall









.

[DaRC]

Imbolc Blessing
------------------------
Fire ribbons adorn our morning path,
purify smoor blessings round the hearth
sear the way towards wet winter's end.

Awen Brid, poet's muse, light the way
to bring the lambs unto a brighter day
and hallow willows with catkins garth.

Brighid's fire, lighter days, snow drops melt.
Seeds are sown, warm the earth, heat is felt.
Goddess bless, Cailleach's burnt away.

[butterfly watcher]

Child of Light.

Child of Light.jpg

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Taken from the OBOD festivals

IMBOLC

This is the Feast of Imbolc. The Light of the Sun in the Wheel of the Year stands in the North East, within the Cone of Darkness. This is a time of hope and preparation. This is the time of the growing of the Light

This Feast is known by many names to many people, for the Truth is reflected from many mirrors. It has been celebrated as Februa and Candlemas. Our ancestors called it by names long forgotten, and our children will call it by names as yet unconceived.

At this time, our ancestors saw the Sun, the weak and helpless Child of Light, grow stronger day by day. The land still lies in darkness, but the rule of the darkness is challenged by the infant Lord of Light. Little by little, the skies grow light and the blessed Earth gives forth her first flowers, snowdrop and crocus, as promise of the Summer that is to be when all creation will rejoice in the One Universal Light.

This Feast of Imbolc is sacred to the Lady, the child-woman, the virgin who is known as Brighid and Athena and Britomartis and names without number. She it was who brought forth the Child of Light out of the Darkness in the darkest of the Dark Days. She it is who has nurtured the Child and now brings him forth as the new hope. She it is who has prepared the sleeping Earth to bring forth her bounty in the Summer which even here has its first beginnings.

As we see the Child of Light grow stronger day by day in the arms of the Mother, so do we understand that we ourselves will grow under the protection of the Mantle of the Lady, and the Light that shines within us will bring forth a great harvest in the ground that She has prepared. This is our knowledge and our affirmation.

This is the Holy Word that is written in no less than the Earth and the Sky and in all things that are made. This is a wonder and a marvel.

[Fitheach]

Brigid, Patroness of Healers and Seers

May my daughters come to me
For I am the patron of the arts
Writing enchanted poetry, or
Healing from their own true hearts.

I guide the blacksmith’s hand
And show the Seer the way
My Grail restores the wasteland
For I am Brigit of the Way

I am the Ancient Alchemist
Who stirs a potent elixir
Taking waters from the mist
I brew a healing liqueur

Come to me, my daughters
And partake of my brew
From the white and red waters
My potion will renew.

Brigid’s Water Healing Charm:

May Brigid of the Heart
Share her precious elixir
Its healing secrets to impart
Whether master or amateur.

May every cup or chalice
Whether plain wood or gold
From any cottage or palace
Know the magic water holds

May the spirit of the water
Draw us down into the deep
May our soul never falter
Nor be lost in endless sleep.

May the waters of the universe
Flow through these sacred lands
May the soothing magic they disperse
Empower my own healing hands

Brigid’s Water Seeing Charm

May Brigid of the Seers Art
Share her precious pools of sight
Their sacred visions to impart
To all who seek truth and light.

May the waters, light and dark
Make clear what was opaque,
Reveal a message we must hark,
Show the path that we must take.

May the upwelling fountains
Of waters deep and divine
Sacred strata of the mountains
Send mystic visions to my mind

May every body of pure water,
Whether cup or woodland pool,
From every hallowed quarter,
Be a seer’s divining tool.

[Michael C. Page]

An Imbolc Triad

Three Blessings of Imbolc:

Candles in the Snow,
The Moon illuminating the whitened landscape,
And Dryads - lightly sleeping – Encased in Crystalline Ice.

[Hawkmoon]

Hi all,
Here is my Seasonal entry for the Eisteddfod. I have called it Brighid's Arrow and for me it represents the winter thaw brought on by Brighid's flaming arrow.
Love and Light
Jason

Brighid's-Arrow.jpg

Brighid's Arrow by Court Jester

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[jjdecay]

Mists of Winter

[otter oonagh]

Spirit of Imbolc . Brighid . acrylic on paper .

[wyeuro]

Lugh's Lughnasadh

Lugh, O Lugh, haloed with sunshine
Love-Laughter is your name,
Long arm of law, to keep the peace,
into my life you came!

In Imbolc’s sweet milk of love
I sowed my hopeful seeds.
In Beltane’s clear bright days
I tended to their needs.

Then came thieves to plunder,
to harvest what I’d grown,
tear down my crops and strip them
take my fruits for their own.

I had no weapon, no defence,
for war I had no will.
I only had my garden plot
and that they came to kill.

But you, in shining armour, Lugh,
came from our future clear,
well-armed and stern to save it
because I held it dear.

Protector of the valued fruits,
O guardian good and true,
with heartfelt love and gratitude:
thrice three times welcome, Lugh!

[Tryak]

Imbolc's Hope of Spring
Snow laden hills blanket the ground
Hard frozen waters make not a sound
Bare branches conceal the type of tree
Woods lay sleeping everywhere we see
Animals laired in their winter burrows
Thick white carpet over farmers' furrows
Yet the earth is warming the early flowers
Snowdrop shoots rise as brave spring towers
Milk of the ewes for spring makes us strong
Fattening lamb for this world is not long
On the hearth fresh loaves bake
Warmed by the stones of summer's lake
Spring greens collected a welcome respite
While herbal teas cleanse us of winter's bite

[Willowhawk]

I owe recognition and thanks to Starhawk and the Reclaiming tradition for the Goddess chant and invocation I've built on here.


Evocation

(A Devotion)

Brighid, Flame of my Heart
Brighid, Light of my Soul
Brighid, Breath of my Body
Brighid, Inspiration of my Spirit

By Earth, Her body
By Fire, Her spirit
By the Waters of Her living womb
By Air, Her inspiring breath

Isis Astarte Diana Hecate Demeter Kali Inanna
Isis Athene Rhiannon Cerridwen Anath Arianrhod

Lady of a Thousand Names
Blessed of Earth and Heaven
Bright Lady of the Sun
the Moon
the Stars

Breath of the winds
Deep emotion of the surging waters
Spark of Creation
Clean new dawn and gentle dusk
and deep enfolding night

Dreamer of Life
Dancer of Death
Cauldron of Rebirth

Blessed Be all that Is



~Willowhawk

[GreenOak]

A very silvery Silver Birch

08 winter 016s.jpg

silvery Silver Birch

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[Jingle]

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