And open up all eyes
And I feel blessed
Refreshed
And inspired to be
I craft
And bend
And prophesy
I spin
And weave
All manner of life
I bend
And blend
The Craft of the Wise
For this light is the perfect time
The blending of body and mind
A chance for us all to divine
Woven
Grandmother spider
Weave me a new web
One I can throw around me
Like a comfort
Cover it in morning dew
Let it sparkle in the sunlight
Let me tangle myself up in my dreams
Attract it all towards me
Fragile and strong
A lifetime long
And only a second of connection
Rose Petals
I fell to the earth
Upon roses made of thorns
Through the cloying fragrance and clawing dance
I learned to stand barefoot
And count every star in the sky
I stood under infinity
For but a second it seemed
And then I heard a song
It sang of love, loss, bittersweet razorblades of wisdom
It tasted salty to my tongue
Cold to my skin
Dry to my throat
But I breathed in every note
Until the razorblades heated molten through my bones
I jumped, skipped, stamped, clapped
And became the heart beat, drum beat
Violent and unafraid
Blazing, brazen, bold and brave
Frenzied I called out to the icy stars, the hare in the Moon
And stared down the Sun
Until my throat was sore
My eyes red raw
And my skin cracked under the intense heat
Then the tears of freedom became more than a release
Water to cleanse
Purify
Protect within the womb
Wash out the infected wound
Clear the air and nurture the growing life around us
I was dirty, sunburnt, sore, wrung out, wretched, wet and unable to speak
I was no longer afraid
I wrung out my hair and it smelt of rose petals
My Faith
As I sit here
Surrounded by soft light
This could be any day
Somewhen and never
Somewhere and nowhere
I smile into the stillness
And know that love and life revolves around this –
The moments of No Time and No Space
The hour long seconds of simple appreciation,
And I understand so little and yet so much,
For to know that we know so little makes us the wisest of all.
Little moments of clarity,
This is my faith
This is my belief
These precious seconds before life comes bustling back in.
About the Author
Romany Rivers is a wife, a sleep deprived mama, a human servant to a very mischievous cat, an artist, a Reiki Master and a Pagan High Priestess. British born and bred, Romany and her husband moved from the south of England to beautiful Nova Scotia, Canada, to pursue their dreams of a more sustainable, family focussed and rural lifestyle.
Romany has used writing, and in particular poetry, to make sense of the world around her from a very young age. As a Priestess and co-founder of Moon River Wicca, she has used poetry and modern interpretations of fairy tales in celebrations, festivals, and rituals to weave a lyrical melody into structured formats. Aside from her work as a Priestess, Artist and Author, she is also well known for her work in the holistic health community as a Reiki Master and Tarot Reader. Romany currently enjoys turning her hand to various arts and crafts; gardening and growing her own food; and watching her children discover the wondrous world around them.
This is Romany’s first published anthology of poetry. This selection covers a very personal journey through the years overcoming severe bouts of depression and consequently creating a more holistic lifestyle. The chapters Red Letters, Return to Sender and Addressee Unknown chronicle periods of depression and anxiety; anger and healing; and acceptance and spiritual growth. All of these poems are personal in nature, but Romany believes that now is the time to share them with others. She hopes that the reader can find a connection with them, be that through empathy or understanding for themselves or for loved ones.
“Every journey is unique, but occasionally we find ourselves walking in each other’s footsteps.”
Romany
Moon Books invites you to begin or deepen your encounter with Paganism, in all its rich, creative, flourishing forms.
Poison Pen Letters to Myself Page 4