"Ordinary and the Sacred"

My Friend,  you are many miles away

 The distance means nothing in a Friendship such as ours

I reach for your hand, and it is there

Our hands clasp in the Strength of  Friendship

I know you are with me; and that is good

I know that you care; and that is better

I sense the Warmth that is you-

and at the same time, me.  

I know you will stay awhile; and I am glad

You understand my fierce independence

There is no criticism between us

We  Share a time that dwells on the edge of night

 Lingering, until the morning borders

All boundaries fade into the shadows-

Only Sacred  Light remains.

We do not have secrets

We have known each other for a very long time

Our Souls met and touched, somewhere on the Other Side

Our lives remain separate; our Hearts joined

 We come together, with a mutual Grace

When it is right; and that is good-

There is only room for the Truth of Knowing; and that is better.

I do not miss you, when it is time for us to part

The Strength and Tenderness of Being, remains

There is no holding on, as time must move forward

We are each Stronger for the time, shared

  Embracing that which is born out of struggle

 Seen through the eyes of Acceptance and Compassion-

We each seek the Path.

  

 I love you; and that is good

You love me; and that is better

It is a love that is born of the Divine

We speak the ancient language of the Circle

A language rooted in the Ordinary and the Sacred       

This is the Way of the Warrior- 

My Friend, "May all be well with you."

Alicia O'Hara

~ Copyrighted Material; 6 October, 2013

~ Beannaichte'
     2 February, 2020

@beannaichte.twitter.com

"Woman"

Woman, look to the mirror

In the Autumn of your years

Woman, you try so hard on hidin'

As you're makin' up at the vanity of your fears

You're paintin' your face in the mornin'

And you touch up your grey- streaked hair

with a dye of auburn-brown

With a pencil you're linin' your eyes to smile

But the years of your hardened heart 

still turnin' your mouth to a frown

Take off your mask... my Lady

The Marriage will come...

so prepare... for the Cleansing  of the Lamb

See the diamonds in that crown

you've been wearin'

Now do they resemble the thorns

in the crown He did bear?

Did He see you...clothed in scarlet linen

As you turned the homeless away

from your door, with only a prayer?

Do you remember the Power,

how He loved those who pierced Him

While you were crusadin' by the power 

of your blood-stained sword?

Were you sleepin' with kings, in a bed
that denied Him?

Will you let go of the gavel,

 Hold the nail-scarred hands He bore

Woman, look to the mirror

What will He desire of you,

in the Autumn of your years?
Your sins have marred you, but

 He will bring you beauty, again

He will hold You...

if you cry a humblin' tear.

~ From"Woman",
by John Michael Talbot* 


*www.johnmichaeltalbot.com/
*www.michaelcard.com/

24 January, 2020

beannaichte@twitter.com

" Thanksgiving Eve"

                  ~ A life that is not shared is tragically diminished.
It remains a profound truth; we have truly lived, when we have made another life easier. ~ Perhaps, this is the only real and lasting definition of success.
And I quote:
"There is a light in this world, a healing Spirit more powerful than any darkness we may encounter. We sometimes lose sight of this force when there is suffering, too much pain. Then suddenly this Spirit will emerge, through the lives of ordinary people, who hear a call, and answer in extraordinary ways".
I thank you, each and every one, who have answered the call....
~ May God bless You and Yours, in an extraordinary way!

~ Happy Thanksgiving!
~ Alicia O'Hara

                                                            

28 November, 2019
 

@beannaichte.twitter.com

"I Have a Dream"

#ihaveadream

for all people to care

for what is possible

for what is so

for wisdom

for clarity

for kindness

for love.

~ Beannaichte'
14 November, 2019

@beannaichte.twitter.com

"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

@beannaichte.twitter.com 

"Litany"

 

You are the bread and the knife,

the crystal goblet and the wine.

You are the dew on the morning grass

and the burning wheel of the sun.

You are the white apron of the baker

and the marsh birds suddenly in flight.

However, you are not the wind in the orchard,

the plums on the counter,

or the house of cards.

And you are certainly not the pine-scented air.

There is no way you are the pine-scented air.
 

It is possible that you are the fish under the bridge,

maybe even the pigeon on the general's head,

but you are not even close 

to being the field of cornflowers at dusk.

And a quick look in the mirror will show
that you are neither the boots in the corner
nor the boat asleep in the boathouse.


It might interest you to know,
speaking of the plentiful imagery of the world,
that I am the sound of rain upon the roof.


I also happen to be the shooting star,
the evening paper blowing down the alley,
and the basket of chestnuts on the kitchen table.


I am also the moon in the trees
and the blind woman's tea cup.
But don't worry, I am not  the bread and the knife.
You are still the bread and the knife.
You will always be the bread and the knife,
not to mention the crystal goblet and -  somehow -  the wine.

~ Billy Collins
U.S.A.

20 August, 2019

~ Beannaichte'

@beannaichte.twitter.com