Tis the season when leaves are burning,
the air, crisp and chilled, leaves me yearning
for the ancient Ones to call out my name
in darkness shout, my spirit churning.
The bonfire burns upon sacred ground,
as kindred souls gather all around,
to the Gods we give our silent prayers
the feast we share where our dreams are found.
We dance to the echoing drum beat,
around, around go our swirling feet,
and wildness of spirit song for Samhain,
where we belong our souls are complete.
The Ones of old stand so very near,
the Veil just beyond the flaming tear,
spirit fingers entwine with mortal kin,
until the early dawn's rays appear.
Cold grey ashes linger in the rain,
and my dark soul lies empty again,
as the season's wheel continues to turn
the Sun Child reborn in Yule's domain.
Author notes
Samhain has been celebrated in Britain for centuries and has its origin in Pagan Celtic traditions. It was the time of year when the veils between this world and the Otherworld were believed to be at their thinnest: when the spirits of the dead could most readily mingle with the living once again.
Gwawdodyn
A stanza of four lines. Lines 1,2 and 4 are nine syllables long and share the same rhyme. Line 3 is 10 syllable long and has an internal rhyme scheme similar to a Toddaid.
x x x x x x x x a
x x x x x x x x a
x x x x x x x (b x x)
x x x (x b x) x x a
In a list
A contest entry
- Form Poetry by KnightOfTheRose.
700 points, ended October 29, 69 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 8 of 8
-
A very nice poem. I had never encountered this poem before. I like it. Thank you for taking the time to enter. Excellent work and I wish you the best of luck in my contest.
-Steve- -
I thoroughly enjoyed this! even to the appropriate not at this season green autumn man!
-
-
Thanks Purrs - yes he is a little out of place but the colour is so glorious for this time of year.
-
-
Cracking stuff, Jem.
One question. Why, in 2009, do you have to start with "Tis", when "It's" would have done? The point about things which are traditional, old in origin, is that they are immediate too, they are in the here-and-now. There is no need to strive for an archaic feel to this poem.
Three bunnies.
-
-
Thank you and a fair question
I do speak in the old way when practising ritual especially when referring to the Ancients so I try and put that in the poetry I write about it. It's would definitely work but has it got that old feel about it - not sure!
Also Samhain is the passing of the old year into the new so wanted to get a sense of age in the start and newness at the end -
-
Hmm... ok Jem, it's your baby.
-
-
-
Love this... wonderful rhyme. I read the notes- I find these celtic forms so hard to decifer but so lovely to read and feel. This is definately my favorite time of year. Love the background here Very enjoyable to read~
Kris
-
-
Thanks Kris.
A brief explanation on the notes the syllables in brackets denote that the rhyme 'b' can be any one of the bracketed syllables, which gives the toddaid feel. Really it is very similar to wreathed poetry.
-
Adding your comment:
1 - 8 of 8
