Winter Solstice in Wales

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For those of us who aren't Welsh: Ivy is the embodiment of underworld goddess Rhiannon, Alban Arthan is the winter solstice, Beli Mawr is the sun, Dewi Sant is Saint David, Llelwellyn the Last is the last king of Wales, Cymru is Wales, Edward of England hated Celts and conquered Wales, Pantycelyn was the greatest Welsh Methodist hymn writer and author of Arglwydd, arwain trwy'r anialwch (guide me o thou great redeemer, pilgrim through this barren land).

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Winter Solstice in Wales

The ivy hangs green on the oak

This dark December day

Of leafless trees and dripping berries

She the goddess Rhiannon

Slayer of the mighty

Glossy tendrils drawing us

To her dark underworld.

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The ivy hangs green on the oak

As she did when druids woke to Alban Arthan

And upon stone circle

Beli Mawr, the sun god, birthed anew.

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The ivy hangs green on the oak

As she did when Romans mined the gold and tin

As she hung when the ground rose 'neath Dewi Sant

And white dove settled on his blessed shoulder.

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The ivy hangs green on the oak

As she did when the trees were in turmoil

At the death of Llelwellyn the Last

Head severed from his body.

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The ivy hangs green on the oak

As she did when Edward's army

Stormed across the Marches

And Cymru fell to England.

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The ivy hangs green on the oak

As she did when Pantycelyn sang

'Guide me O Thou great Redeemer'

And Rhiannon lay hidden

Under barren coalfields.

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The ivy hangs green on the oak

As she did when villages emptied

And Welsh hymns rang

Through Colorado coal mines.

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The ivy hangs green on the oak

As she did when Wilfred Owen

Found the pity war distills

In horror of the trenches.

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The ivy hangs green on the oak

As she did when blackout paper

Covered lighted windows

And bombs rained down on Cardiff.

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The ivy hangs green on the oak

Today, when the seasons falter

Faery folk forgotten

Sellafield plutonium

Poisoning Irish Sea

Nuclear warheads ready

For ultimate destruction.

From Rhiannon's dark womb

What rebirth awaits us?

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    This page contains a single entry by Alakananda Ma published on December 24, 2011 4:10 AM.

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