"The Mystery"

I

 am the Wind 

which

 breathes upon the Sea,

I am the Wave of the Ocean,

I am the Murmur of the Billows,

I am the Ox of the Seven Combats,

I am the Vulture upon the Rocks,

I am the Beam of the Sun,

I am the Fairest of Plants,

I am a Wild Boar in Valour,

I am a Salmon in the Water,

I am a Lake in the Plain,

I am a Word of Science,

I am the Point of the Lance of Battle,

I am the God who Created in the Head of the Fire.

Who is it that throws Light into the Meeting on the Mountain?

Who announces the Ages of the Moon?

Who Teaches the Place where couches the Sun?

(If not I)

 

~ Amergin*

Translation by Douglas Hyde

~ Beannaichte'

26 September, 2019

* Amergin was a Milesian prince or druid who settled in Ireland hundreds of years before Christ

and is from the Leabhar Gubhala or ' Book of Invasions'.  He is considered one of Ireland 's earliest poets, 

and 'The Mystery ' is attributed as the first Irish poem. 

"Bareback Pantoum"

                         One Night,          

      bareback and young, we rode through the woods

      and the woods were on Fire-

      two borrowed Horses, two local boys

      whose waist we clung to, my sister and I,

     

     

     and the woods were on Fire-

     the pounding of hooves and the smell of smoke

     and the sharp sweat of the boys

     whose waist we clung to, my sister and I

     as we rode toward Flame with the Sky in our

     mouths

     the pounding of hooves and the smell of smoke

     and the sharp sweat of the boys

     and the Heart saying: mine 

     as we rode toward Flame with the Sky in our

     mouths-

     the Trees turning gold, then crimson, white

     and the Heart saying: mine

     of the Wild, Bright world;

     the Trees turning gold, then crimson, white

     as they Burned in the Darkness, and we were the

     girls

    

     of the Wild, Bright world

     through the Woods near our house-we could turn, see
     the

     Lights

     and they Burned in the Darkness, and we were the

     girls

     so we rode just to ride

     

     

     through the Woods near our house-we could turn,

     see the Lights-

     and the Horses would carry us, carry us home

     so we rode just to ride

     my sister and I, just to be close to the Danger of

     Love

     and the Horses would carry us, carry us home

     -two borrowed horses, two local boys,

     my sister and I- just to be close to that Danger,

     Desire-

     one night, bareback and young, we rode through the

     woods. 

from  New Letters

  by Cecilia Woloch  

~ Beannaichte'

13 September, 2019

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