Fiona Siobhan Powell
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| The Willow. When my aching soul sought solace, And my heart refused the beat Of a life betrayed by living, In a mind destroyed by dreams. It was to this small child-haven That I turned to, in the dusk Healing sister, quite forsaken. Standing sentinel of dawn. She has cradled us for eons, Borne our burdens and our gifts, Woven into all our stories, Mouldered with us in the grave. When, by colours so seductive We were drawn to smoother shells, Cradles of elusive brightness, Unyielding to their mother earth. I remember sister willow; In the moonlight bidding me Rest my burden, in her wisdom Rooted in the deeper stream. She was always our first sign That vicious cold could be forgot. With the smell of damp moss 'neath her And her fairy leverets. Heal my heart, soothe my head Whisper of your ancient way. Be my cradle and my coffin, Sister of the sweeter spring. |
Folklorist ~ Storyteller
Folklore behind the poem: The Willow
The willow tree for eons was man's helpmeet. All of the things we now use plastic for; cradles, baskets,
boxes, were once woven out of willow.
Her bark, of course, yields Aspirin. Our ancestors knew that the willow was good for curing pain.
They probably also realised that her bark was good for the heart.
The first signs of spring for me as a child, were the branches of the willows growing nearby, that produced
"pussy willow", the velvety furred leaf buds. I remember thinking that they were baby hares (leverets) that
would burst into life and live with fairies. I was an imaginative child!
The Willow in Celtic folk lore is associated with the Goddess of Spring, Brighid, Bridey or Brigantia, a
sister goddess, watcher of cattle and sheep. Patroness of milk, beer and ale. She became St Brigit, beloved
by the Irish still.
The Willow is always found with her roots close to, or in water ...hence the double meaning of spring.
The willow tree for eons was man's helpmeet. All of the things we now use plastic for; cradles, baskets,
boxes, were once woven out of willow.
Her bark, of course, yields Aspirin. Our ancestors knew that the willow was good for curing pain.
They probably also realised that her bark was good for the heart.
The first signs of spring for me as a child, were the branches of the willows growing nearby, that produced
"pussy willow", the velvety furred leaf buds. I remember thinking that they were baby hares (leverets) that
would burst into life and live with fairies. I was an imaginative child!
The Willow in Celtic folk lore is associated with the Goddess of Spring, Brighid, Bridey or Brigantia, a
sister goddess, watcher of cattle and sheep. Patroness of milk, beer and ale. She became St Brigit, beloved
by the Irish still.
The Willow is always found with her roots close to, or in water ...hence the double meaning of spring.