WITCH OF THE WILLOWS (A Poem)
Have a Blessed Samhain (and Happy Halloween)!
WITCH OF THE WILLOWS
From the heart of meditation’s flame
I transport to a treasured time,
a childhood place
where ancient powers gather
like underground water
welling to pools on the leaf strewn surface.
And the willows, how they writhe in the winds
that bring the fall rain.
The sweet hair of branches serving as reins
as I ride a storm willow,
and the pools draw nigh to silver lakes.
How the quiet delight of awakening power
climbs up my spine like wax up a wick
then bursts into flight, an impossible flame
on the whipping wet wind.
I give warning to all of my impending arrival,
bare back and bathed in the aura of fire,
dripping with silver:
I, young sister of Hecate, and Witch of the Willows,
will someday change the world!
WITCH OF THE WILLOWS
From the heart of meditation’s flame
I transport to a treasured time,
a childhood place
where ancient powers gather
like underground water
welling to pools on the leaf strewn surface.
And the willows, how they writhe in the winds
that bring the fall rain.
The sweet hair of branches serving as reins
as I ride a storm willow,
and the pools draw nigh to silver lakes.
How the quiet delight of awakening power
climbs up my spine like wax up a wick
then bursts into flight, an impossible flame
on the whipping wet wind.
I give warning to all of my impending arrival,
bare back and bathed in the aura of fire,
dripping with silver:
I, young sister of Hecate, and Witch of the Willows,
will someday change the world!
* * * *
I wrote this poem in 1979, and it is entirely from a meditation/fantasy about a childhood memory that I had at my altar. It was great fun to read at poetry readings due to the almost galloping rhythm of the words. Musicality has always had a tendency to take over my poetry. And there have been poems in which I've had to consciously break up the rhythms as they can become obscuring or numbing for the reader, no matter how much they feel native to a piece for me.
Resource: Samhain, the ancient roots of Halloween, in Wikipedia.
‘til next time, keep dreaming,
Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)****My other blog: ROSWILA’S TAROT GALLERY & JOURNAL.
posted by Roswila @ 9:26 AM
2 Comments:
There's so much in this worth commenting on. That would take so long and spoil the enchantment :-)
So I'll pass on doing any commentary and instead mention that I had a weeping willow to enjoy the wind with when I was a child. And I moved where I am now because there are several weeping willows to watch from my deck or windows.
And the next time there is a high wind I will read this poem to them. I think they'll like that.
oino
Hiya Oino,
Always a pleasure to read one of your comments. I am delighted the poem enchanted you. :-) I succeeded it seems in getting across some of the the experience that prompted the poem.
I don't know if you noticed, but I just now caught a typo -- argh! --"night" instead of "nigh".
And you love willows, how wonderful. Though they are hard not to love, especially as a child. My blog name Roswila is a combination of my favorite flower, rose, and favorite tree, willow, BTW. I have another poem I may post here some day about visting the same willow 30 years later (yes, she was still there!).
I can just imagine you reading this poem to the willows near your home. Yesss.
Have a Happy Halloween and don't eat any more candy than is good for you.... :-)
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