"Brigit Speaks with the Sword” by Mael Brigde

 

Brigit Speaks with the Sword

 

Brigit steps on the field of heroes

red blossoms

black mud churned

lays a hand on every broken stem

 

knife cuts natal cord

scythe fells corn

sword harvests men

 

the smith prays to Brigit

grinds his blade sleek

hardens it as the warrior

shields his heart

but the goddess

is not numb to her tools

 

Brigit keens

addresses spell-rich sword

 

from earth we raised you

with fire made you

grieving and grateful

praise you

now help me sword

dig furrows for our dead

Image: The Burial of Atala, print, Jean-Baptiste-Raphael-Urbain Massard, after Anne Louis Girodet-Trioson (MET, 46.140.13), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Credit: “Brigit Speaks with the Sword” first published in A Brigit of Ireland Devotional - Sun Among Stars by Mael Brigde, Moon Books (2021).

Tenth Anniversary of Stone on the Belly

I am surprised and happy to see that I have been publishing Brigitine poetry on this blog for ten years now. It started as a place to offer my own poems and prayers to her, as a companion blog to Brigit’s Sparkling Flame, which is not poetry-centered. I was writing so many heartfelt Brigit poems and had nowhere to share them, so I decided to create an outlet for a few drops of that upsurging. As time went on I found -- and then went searching for -- other voices; now I have to remind myself now and then to post something of my own!

By way of circling back a full turn, then, here is a link to the first post, a humble offering, from 9 September 2015.

I am so joyful and grateful for this walk with you. Thank you for sharing your writing, your hearts, and for reading the words of so many lovers of Brigit. Here's to many more poems, and who knows how many more years.

Ten years of sharing Brigit. May she continue to bless us all.

Images: Original belly and stone photo for Stone on the Belly, by Mael Brigde.

Hand, clipart.