Charnwood Grove Spring Equinox Workshop, March 2019
Haiku is an ancient Japanese poetry form, but they are much written in the West today. The essence of Haiku is ‘cutting’- or juxtaposing two images or ideas.
Haikus are very short and succinct. Traditionally they have 17 syllables in three lines of five, seven and five. They usually have a seasonal reference too, so this is a perfect time to write them. This is what we wrote at the Spring Equinox workshop 2019.
The last one refers to a little local difficulty we had. Don’t ask!
Falling into dark,
You swallow pink seeds;
She rises again.
My bright summer sun,
Eyes bursting alive again.
I, sad, sit darkly
A crowded town street
People flowing, melted down,
Each house a guard point.
Raven rainbow flight
Rising, swiftly, tree-top dancing.
Anchored, I sit below.
The new warmth will come
And bring life to some
People now are waiting for.
Nature draws a breath
And calls us to embrace Spring.
Sun! Where have you been?
Bird flies through trees,
Blossom flutters through the air,
Scent intoxicates.
The winter’s ending-
Mother Earth rising again.
Colour, light and warmth.
Daffodils awash;
The birds and bees are active-
Summer is coming
Green to golden brown;
Rewards from all our labours-
Plentiful bounties.
It’s getting colder-
The leaves fall from the tall trees.
Short nights, water freeze.
Daylight knows no monsters;
I dance in the daylight,
Yet dusk is my home.
When darkness surrounds us
The moonlight keeps watching.
So begins our rebirth.
Persephone’s Spring
Dances deep in the flowers.
Snatched, gone and blasted.
A moment in time;
Dark turning night into day.
Light in the balance.
Looking forward to a Druid meeting,
Driving gently down the track,
Stop! Said farmer John.
You cannot enter here.
Chants for the winter solstice celebration 2018
Chant 1:
Earth standing in the dark
Light returns, a kindled spark.
Bright the beacon, bright the flame
Light returning once again.
Chant 2:
Sun goes down on the shortest day
Hi-ana hi-ana hi-ana hey.
Honour the darkness, here we stay
Hi-ana hi-ana hey.
Chant 3:
We join in the dance of light and dark
Hand in hand and heart to heart.
Coming together to worship the land
We are one.
Sarah: Well aren’t they lovely! All our own work – made up the tunes together, made up the words together! Now we had better learn them together!!!
Autumnal Equinox 2017 poem
This Poem was created from a single line written by each participant of the celebration.
I am the road less travelled
I visit and share with friends and relatives
I am the road to myself
I am to become more spiritual
I am the road less travelled
I am patient with somebody society has no patience with
I am for all – peace, love and rock n roll
We love this world and place and it makes us happy
I am the road less travelled
I am feeling the rhythm of the day
I am time to shine inside and out
I am a forest of night pebbles
I am the road less travelled
And I thank you for the love
Not because it’s easy and not because it’s hard, but because it’s right
Save a horse, ride a cowboy!
I am the road less travelled
I am the warmth of the sun, of a mouthful of mead, of the body of a partner
I bring you home, safe, each night
I am allowing things to be just
I am the road less travelled
I am being peculiar
I take a leap into the unknown alone
I connect more with nature
I am the road less travelled
I walk the road of life
I am non-conforming, doing what the hell I’d like to do!
I lead to a path of self discovery, self love and self care
I am the road less travelled
I am freedom without ties
I am a big hairy fox!
I am the road less travelled.
I am the power of your voice, the call of your song, the mystery of your dance and the story you tell to the world, again, and again, and again….
Charnwood Grove of Druids 