Quicklinks:
Short S. | Poetry | Not News | Scripts | Comedy | Non-Fiction | SF | Crime | For Kids | Extended | Village
Great Writing - Home > Poetry > Beltane Fires
READING ROOM
Great Writing - Home
Read and review others' work
Articles on writing
Advice from the community
COMMUNITY
Talk to others in the forums
Events and Competitions
GW News
ABOUT GREAT WRITING
All About Us
Contact Us
WORK AWAITING REVIEW
GW IS...
Great Writing creative writing community is designed to prompt ideas and provide inspiration and motivation within aspiring and amateur authors. Whatever your topic; from love poetry to Doctor Who or Harry Potter fan fiction, Great Writing's online writing group is where you can make new friends and improve your creative writing.
WHO'S ONLINE
We have 1894 guests online and 8 members online
Poetry
print friendly version     
Beltane Fires
By CliffBowes
22 March 2007
Back again to the English Sonnet. This offering comes a month early for Beltane, but as Tesco start Christmas around about August I don't think it matters too much.

Here atop the hill in warm April’s breeze,
Villagers have two mighty fires built.
Wood, and moss from the forest’s sacred trees.
Give scent to the mount as good men without guilt
Touch the drying moss with torches flaming.
Then with a sunburst of triumphant light,
Fires erupt in sacred flames. Shaming
The day as Beltane fires light the night.
Cattle are loosened and driven between,
Pure again after winter in barns.
Prayers are ascending from this fiery scene
From man to the Gods through smoke over tarns;
To Belanos, of the Sacred Fountain.
‘Blessed Be’ we hear where ashes remain.

 

Reviews

Written by Talisker (1326 comments posted) 22nd March 2007
I like the pagan stuff in this - it appeals to me more than eastablished religions - there seems to be some sense to offerring thanks to nature. 
 
Anyway, its a very nice sonnet, Cliff. 
 
Oli 
 
P.S. I should think that they struggle to find many "good men without guilt" :grin

Written by Phil (6713 comments posted) 22nd March 2007
Liked this Cliff - although I have to confess, I had to Google 'Beltane.' With Oli on the nod towards pagan ritual and belief, it added a level of ancient tradition and mystery.  
 
Enjoyed. 
 
Phil.

Written by Fledermaus (3281 comments posted) 23rd March 2007
The poem creates a nice atmosphere. Isn't it still celebrated in some parts of Britain, just as a folkloristic thing? There's never a party to many is there? 
Samhain became Haloween and Imbolc the day of St. Bridget of Kildare, so maybe they could merge Beltane with Labour Day? Considering the popularity of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny I'd say that pagan symbols are still very popular after 2000 years of conversion. 
 
Very enjoyable and descriptive poem.

Written by ellipinnock (1753 comments posted) 23rd March 2007
Yes I liked the imagery in this 
 
Elli

Written by mmSeason (32 comments posted) 26th March 2007
"celebrated in some parts of Britain, just as a folkloristic thing?" - not only in that way but as religion by a growing minority - and i've heard that Paganism is the second largest religion after Christianity in the US or that may have been second fastest-growing... you know that 84.3% of all statistics are made up on the spot, don't you. Anyway as a religion it has a lot to recommend it. As a poem this isn't bad either! 
mand

   Only registered users can rate and write comments.
   Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment 2.0!
 Previous item   Next item
This site is copyright 2005 - 2007 Great Writing. Work submitted by members remains the copyright of the respective authors.
See our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.