Poison Pen Letters to Myself

by Romany Rivers

  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.