Silent Poetry Reading in honor of the Feast of Saint Brigid

Brigid's feast day was likely instituted in Ireland and Scotland to surplant the Celtic festival Imbolc falling at a cross quarter (half way between solstice and equinox) which was celebrating Brighid, a pagan goddess. She reigns over art, beauty, and fire -- fertility and the coming spring. Bride, as she is known in Scotland, is said to be 'the flame in the heart of all women'. I was going to go with something a little racier but on reading liked the tie in to spring and life. I present you with a poem by my favorite poet, e.e. cummings.

since feeling is first

since feeling is first
who pays any attention
to the syntax of things
will never wholly kiss you;

wholly to be a fool
while Spring is in the world

my blood approves,
and kisses are a far better fate
than wisdom
lady i swear by all flowers. Don't cry
--the best gesture of my brain is less than
your eyelids' flutter which says

we are for each other: then
laugh, leaning back in my arms
for life's not a paragraph

And death i think is no parenthesis

Go and make St. Brigid's Crosses (and burn yours from last year)

directions here

And since she comes when the ewe's begin to lactate, she is associated with the dairy and butter is an important offering so I share this seasonal recipe from Ireland with plenty of butter --

Colcannon (serves 6)

1 1/4 lbs. Kale or green Cabbage
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/4 pounds peeled and quartered potatoes
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 cup cleaned and chopped leeks white part only
1 cup milk
Pinch of ground mace
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup melted butter

Simmer kale or cabbage in 2 cups water and oil for 10 minutes, then drain, and chop fine. Boil potatoes and water, and simmer 'til tender. Simmer the leeks in milk for ten minutes 'til tender. Drain and puree the potatoes. Add leeks and their milk and the cooked kale, and mix in. Add mace, salt and pepper. Mound on a plate and pour on the melted butter.Garnish with parsley.

Comments

[ann]

shut up! I posted the same poem! I love it.

[Bridget]

OK, even though I just ate lunch, now I really want some Colcannon! (I love that stuff.)

[Laurie]

Yes, I'm behind on my blog-reading again! But I like the St. Brigid's cross (your link needs the final backslash removed to work, BTW) and colcannon actually sounds pretty good today, so thanks for the good ideas!