Having posted a formal curse and a fist-waving protest poem, I thought I’d contribute something a little happier. This poem is a modern interpretation of Brig Briugu, the Brigit of hospitality and abundance, as a goddess of post-scarcity anarchism!
– Christopher Scott Thompson
Clink of glasses, sparkling lager,
Sweet brown ale and bowls of stew,
Heaping plates of bread and butter-
Barkeep Brigit brings those too.
Brigit of the bees and honey,
Bless us with your cheerful smile.
Open all the doors and call us
To your table for a while.
Call the ones who wait for dinner,
Tell them all are welcome here.
Bring us joy with clinking glasses,
Food and bread and foaming beer.
Call the ones who wait in hunger,
Tell them none are turned away.
Let us feast with songs and stories
Past the dawning of the day.
Christopher Scott Thompson
Christopher Scott Thompson is a writer, historical fencing instructor and founding member of Clann Bhride, the Children of Brighid. He was active with Occupy Minneapolis and Occupy St. Paul. His political writing can be found at https://alienationorsolidarity.wordpress.com/.
There should be a tune to go with this one, I think…Great, in any case! 🙂
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If anyone knows a tune that would fit, or cares to compose one, I have no objections! 🙂
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Makes me smile!
If there should be a tune for this, there should be a circle dance for the tune!
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Absolutely! Everything is better with a circle dance and a tune, in my view…faculty meetings at the college couldn’t be made worse by the addition of such, I don’t think! 😉
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Well done! May the copious blessings of Brigit be laid out for us all.
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Cheerful in the literal sense of the word.
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I do like this 🙂 Coincidentally I was reading this Christianised version of a hymn of St Brigid the other day.
‘I should like a great lake of ale
For the King of Kings
I should like the whole family of Heaven
To be drinking it eternally.’
According to Ronald Cunliffe Shawe St Brigid supplied seventeen churches in Meath with liquour from Maunday Thursday until Low Sunday and kept her Diocesan, Mel, in constant supply of ale. This would also fit with your pic!
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Oh yes, I was thinking of that hymn when I wrote this! 🙂
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That is wonderfully done! Could our Druid Grove use it (with attribution) when we honour Bride?
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Certainly, and thank you!
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In case anyone finds it interesting, the woman depicted in stone is German, likely in the middle 1500’s. Costume geek here.
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I’ve read this several times because I just love it. I copied it into my journal where I keep a record of those who ask for healing prayers to Brigit during my Flametending shifts, and any information I come across about Brigit that is new to me. Every year I hold a dinner for the Feast of Brigit and Imbolc and a ritual to honor Brigit. I would like to read this before the dinner and I will be sure to give you full credit, if this is OK with you. Thank you, Niniann
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Thank you Niniann, and yes of course you can use it!
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