Imbolc

bee · Post by **bee** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:45 am

no seaport paintings, nosorry, some naked dames(pretending to be angels with wings) flying all over the place- that would be my painting

bee · Post by **bee** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:50 am

linda- i think Tom made a typo- i think the was meant to be organ-not oran, don't you think?

linda_lakeside · Post by **linda_lakeside** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:54 am

It's impossible to say. Imbolc looks like a typo to me as well. It also sounds/looks like something of old Irish or Welsh or something not English.

linda_lakeside · Post by **linda_lakeside** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:59 am

Scratch that. What I meant was not modern-day English. And not from North America type of English - if it is English. I wonder if tom is watching this and laughing at us? tom, you better not be laughing at us!!

tom.d.stiller · Post by **tom.d.stiller** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 7:54 am

Dear all -

Thank you for your discussion;it was lovely to listen to you. As has been requested I'll now give some explanation to the poem. Of course it's a poem about poetry and inspiration. I reckon this is a violation of a "Golden Rule": "Never write about writing..." I used some images from Celtic mythology.

Maybe a few random remarks will be helpful.

The poem started to come into being when I read the announcement for an "Imbolc celebration in honour of Brighid" scheduled to take place in Portobello on February 2nd. That made me curious...

Imbolc:

Imbolc, (pronounced "IM-bulk" or "EM-bowlk"), also called Oimealg, ("IM-mol'g), by the Druids, is the festival of the lactating sheep. It is derived from the Gaelic word "oimelc" which means "ewes milk". It marks the center point of the dark half of the year. It is the festival of the Maiden, for from this day to March 21st, it is her season to prepare for growth and renewal.

Thus Laurie's "Ground Hog Day" reference was absolutely to the point.

Brighid:

... Celts were worshipping the triune goddess they called Brighid, or Brid, or Brig or Brigit or Bride or any one of a multitude of other names. Brighid has three natures: maiden, mother and crone. As maiden, she represents inspiration and poetry. Brighid the mother presides over midwifery and healing. The crone is in charge of the hearth fire, smithies and crafts. She is midwife to Spring and is honored at the druidic festival of Imbolc, which takes place on Candlemas, February 2nd. She also is goddess of agriculture, learning, divination, prophecy, animal husbandry, love, witchcraft and occult knowledge.
In the legends, Brighid sometimes is called the 'Two-Faced One'. They tell us that one side of her face is dark and ugly, and the other white and beautiful. Each year, one can observe the "Mystery of Bride" in the transformation of the hag of winter into the fair maiden of Spring.

St. Brigit is the patron saint of Ireland, poets, dairymaids, blacksmiths, healers, cattle, fugitives, Irish nuns, midwives, and new-born babies. She is highly venerated in Alsace, Flanders, and Portugal (Montague), as well as Ireland and Chester, England. Pagan goddess Brighid is patron of inspiration, poetry, midwifery, healing, the hearth fire, blacksmiths, crafts, aggriculture, husbandry, learning, divination, prophecy, love, witchcraft and occult knowledge.

Some sources tell us that Brighid wears a candle crown. She was the keeper of the "Eternal Flame". In her honour crosses are folded from straw or rushes.

"Oran" is a Gaelic word and means "song".

Thank you again.

tom