Mabh Savage
Words and the world passing by; how it sings to me; how I clamour back.
Winter Wonder: Ploughing the Dawn
Thanks to Oz Hardwick for today’s Winter Wonder submission, Ploughing the Dawn.
Ploughing the Dawn
Dawn comes late, the tread of frost
heavy on hard ground. Steady steps
stride through snow, shackle spirits
to icy shafts, weigh the balance,
take the weight, and crack
the frozen winter.
Copyright Oz Hardwick
If you would like to submit a piece of writing for my Winter Wonders series, please apply here. There’s a chance to win a signed copy of my book, A Modern Celt.
Winter Wonder: Snow Scene
Thank you to William West for this beautiful submission to the Winter Wonder series. You can find William at http://billonbike.blogspot.com
Snow Scene
You were magic
When we first met
And so was I
I could see it in your eyes
You flung your arms around me
Wearing a ridiculous purple hat
And a mustard woollen coat
And the snow fell on our Winter scene
On our first date
You led me through a hedge
That didn’t want to admit me
Neither did your parents at first
And the snow fell on our Winter scene
You now lie sleeping beside me
And I pinch myself
It hurts
So it must be real
And the snow falls on our Winter scene.
Copyright William West
Cry of the Cailleach
Winter cries
A broken sob
Of rain and throbbing grey
To wistful white
A sorry sight
A tear track trails
And smiling fails
As frost bites hard
Each chew and chomp
Enamel stomp
Upon a tongue
Of furry sludge
A grisly grudge
A snarling wind
And screeching trees
Fog whispers please…
And begs for entry
To the heart
The roaring hearth
The glowing soul
Oh let me in, let me in…
Cailleach cries
But listen not
If you are wise.
copyright 2013 Mabh Savage
Winter Wonder: Win my book!
Another bite of winter. If you want to submit an entry for my Winter Wonder series, please send your winter related prose, poetry or art via the form below. If you want to attach an item rather than write straight onto the form, please use the form to send me your email address and I will contact you directly. The best submission will win a free copy of my book, A Modern Celt. I’d love to see your writing on Yule, the solstice, the cold, the weather, the festivities; what does winter mean to you? Joy? Sorrow? Reflection? Or feasting and fun?
Thank you for your response. ✨
Excerpt from A Modern Celt
Another year [at the winter solstice] we became a little lost in the dark, and weren’t sure quite how to find the spot we were looking for. We heard wings overhead, and followed the sound. When the sound stopped, we checked our position. Shining our torches about, we discovered we had been led to the spot we had been searching for. As soon as we were done, a wind whipped up then suddenly stilled. Twigs snapped as though something heavy footed were walking towards us, and the wings began flapping back the way we came. We moved fast to follow the sound, and though the night had been still before, as we moved away from the woods and down the path, with the lake to our side, a new wind whipped ripples up across the surface of the water, seemingly always one step behind us. Just like the year before, we left swiftly and didn’t look back. Both these latter experiences led us to believe we had witnessed an aspect of “The Wild Hunt”: the idea that gods and their entourage, or in Celtic tradition the Fae or aos sí, ride out in a mad cavalcade to hunt down the unwary who dare to be abroad during the darkest midnight. We spent the rest of those evenings snug and warm, drinking and feasting and appreciating good company. Although we had a wonderful time and felt blessed to have felt that presence so strongly, we would not have ventured back there for anything less than an emergency.
A Modern Celt is available now in paperback and on Kindle.
Picture source: hdwallpaper2013.com
One Winter’s Night
Big thanks to Leigh Laycock for submitting the first piece for my ‘Winter Wonders’ this year; a series of pieces intended to get us into the spirit of winter, Yule and the festive season.
One Winter’s Night
In the dead of night there came a tapping
Then more urgent sounds of someone rapping
Who would be knocking on the glass
Is it some lost and lonely lad or lass
Who’s there we ask before we open
No words in answer are ever spoken
A heavy chill descended down
Causing all to fear and frown
But still the tapping did continue
All we could see was just white sinew
Just an outline caught our eye
But I was sure I heard the figure sigh
Let him in he must be cold
It seemed to listen if the truth be told
The knocking ceased as it waited there
But all I could do was stand and stare
Don’t open the door a shrill voice cried
I am upstairs – I can see outside
There is no one knocking at our door
No one in sight I can see for sure
The road is empty – not even a soul
or ghostly form, or body whole
As we stood rigid with the shock
There came another unearthly knock
And so we shook with mouths agape
The ghostly figure of a monk took shape
The glass pane rattled but there was no wind
The apparition did not rescind
White knuckles rapped upon the door
We ran upstairs, we could look no more
Dived under the covers the night we stayed
Four in a bed all silently prayed
The knocking dimmed but continued to drum
For us eventually sleep did come
For in the morn we braved to peer
To see what had caused us such fear
Nothing was there that we could understand
Just the tell tale marks of a ghostly hand
And the shape of a monk, or just his cowl
Did he seek sanctuary or was he foul
What did he need this man in black
For us to open the door – just a crack
Was it a warning or maybe a sign
Of what does wander when the moon doth shine
To this day I can tell you no more
Of who came knocking at our door.
copyright Leigh Laycock 2013
Winter is coming…
Ok I couldn’t resist. Joking aside though, we are definitely (in the Northern hemisphere) moving into the colder and darker time of the year. For those of us in England, it’s been a bit of a shock as the season has been between 4 and 6 weeks late all year, which was good news for gardeners after the lengthy winter; it was still snowing in April this year. Suddenly, the wheel of the year seems to have caught up with itself, and I have been scraping ice off the car and even off my clean washing!
As the nights become longer, I’m going to publish a series of articles on winter, including excerpts from my book, A Modern Celt. If there is an aspect of winter you would like me to discuss, please leave a comment and I’ll look at it for you. here is an excerpt abut an experience I had upon a Winter Solstice:
My most precious memories of the winter solstice all seem to be of going to a specific lakeside on the longest night. I remember it always feels later in the day than it is, because despite it only being early evening it is already pitch black, and once you move away from the roads there is only a little ambient light, depending on the weather and the moon. One year, the black, velvet sky was perfectly clear, and the moon was completely full. The lake was frozen from one bank to the other, and glittered preciously in the cold blue light from above. Bare trees stretched their limbs in a perfect frame for this scene. There was no wind, and it seemed as if the world had been frozen into a perfect postcard simply entitled “winter”. There were several of us together that year, and after our ritual celebrations we acted like children, walking out onto the ice and daring each other to go out a bit further, and pondering the strange shapes frozen within. It was simply a joyous time. Another year in exactly the same place, the same group of us finished our celebrations, only to have a thick fog follow us all the way out to the path where we left the site. That was spooky, but exhilarating. We truly felt that whatever was abroad that night had said thanks, but it’s time for you lot to go now: my turn. We took the hint, I can tell you!
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A Modern Celt: 99p!
Another promo: my book, A Modern Celt, is now only 99p on kindle from Amazon! This book explores the impact the Celts had on modern life, through the eyes of everyday people. It examines paganism, spirituality and healing and even the impact on the modern entertainment industry. Grab a bargain!
Samhain approaching
Samhain is now understood as the night that the veil is at its thinnest; where our ancestors may temporarily rejoin us, travelling from their abode in the Summerlands. The original meaning of Samhain was probably either ‘end of summer’ or ‘beginning of winter’, as for the Celts it was the day and night that was the transitional point from the lighter time of the year into the darkness of the winter months.
Our seasons don’t exactly follow this pattern, and the changes are obviously quite gradual, but it’s clear to see that the air is cooler, the sun packs a little less punch and physically, we are moving into a darker period. Psychologically, this can affect many people, with the darker days contributing towards conditions such as Seasonal Adjustment Disorder, and particularly affecting those with depression or anxiety.
As we turn towards our ancestors and our memories of those that have gone before, let us also remember those around us today that need our help and support. They may know that they were once loved; let them know that they are loved now. Now is a time for the final preparations for Winter, and no one should be left behind. And most of all, remmeber to celebrate! Light candles, make food, feast and be with the ones you love, and who love you.
When the Dolphins ran out of Electricity…
…Atlantis fell, and crumbled into the Ocean floor. All the power drained away, and the Dolphins realised they were free; no more working the generators, or counting the coins that were passed from fin to fin to ensure the power flowed, like the water surrounding it. As the artificial lights went out, a new light lit in the hearts of each mammal, and they moved out from their home. The city which had housed them had also caged them. Released from the responsibility of its upkeep, they swam and dived and leaped beyond the waves, blinking in the new dawn light.
Mabh Savage 