Beltane and beyond

It be the noble metaphor
of life and death
and further more
Of when the cows were driven back
to the stables in the raw
State of frost and darkness
with Winter on the way
And Beltane represented
By fantastic light display
Of buds and of the blossoming
and leaves
as Nature deigned
It describes the god and goddess
whose union retained
Both describing to each other
How much they were in love
Bursting in their veins of course
the thrill their sun drenched soul
Life had gathered spirited power
and taken back the role
With its multitude of greenery
Ones wish to shout hooray
Portals between Winter and Summer
so to say
Liminal and expressive
in the cool light of day
Beltaine shows us
yellows
and furze blossom comes to mind
Hanging in the barn and in the house
where we shall find
Branches brought to bring good luck
which everyone needs and
A rowan branch to compliment
Fortune and to stand
Everyone in good stead
The villagers and all
Collecting herbs and greenery
And so lay out their stall
To dance around the maypole
Their sentiment so ripe
To contemplate fertility
Coming down the pipe

Some element of verdure
The neophyte exclaims
Regarding ancient mysteries
Their waking heart inflames
A spiritual resurrection
A re-birth so to say
The central theme is magick
With the Beltane dance at play
May be the mystic snake dance
Winding westwards to the sun
At the quarters sprigs of heather
As collective spells are spun.
The willow is the ogham tree
Sacred to Circe,And Hekate
A moon goddess provider of dew
Lunar rythms of life on view
Lovely catkins nectar early
Bee’s enriched by the hurly burly
Sallows osiers also called
A bach flower remedy I am enthralled
Governed by
the moon
Biofiltration in wetlands soon
Charcoal for drawing
Seems to me
Hares and the willow association
Bends with the flow decidely.
The ancient druids often
With Their wands of Hazel they
Could see off any lightening strikes
Their admission of the day
A collar made of Hazel
On the heavy horse at work
Said to See off the silent Fae
who otherwise might lurk
The ritual bel fires singed
The cattles backs
Which was the way
Of true purification from the
barn and the long stay
They kind of ran the gauntlet
To forage and to find
The wild flowers and the luscious grass
Which helped to clear their mind
Instinctively the wild plants
Each one had healing powers
and they Were well aware of them
Some searching many hours.
Rebalancing their systems
Harmony their need
Collectively as visionaries
Its how they do succeed
Atoning for the irreverence
The quips the mocks the flouts
From their deference of being
They assuage the many doubts.

Willow 15/4-12/5