Middle Passage Remembrance

Here is an island chain

Each head a stepping stone

Floating in seas of blood

Deep sighs the ocean

Africa to America

With each head counted

Deep throbs the ocean

Mother tongue lost to them

Lost with identity

Flesh without dignity

Roars with the ocean

Cry you across the sea

Cry you across the years

Deep in the hurricane

Toussaint stone dead in France

Hear and remember

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In praise of older women – no thank you!

Robert Graves (Th e White Goddess ) and the neo-pagans have a lot to answer for with their triple Goddess. We seem to have imbibed that whole "maiden-mother-crone" schema. It brings us all those stereotypes that I believe are best avoided – the girl who must be beautiful, the woman who must be a mother and, after a certain age, all that is left to us is our wisdom! These are gender roles that have existed for thousands of years! I tell you now, I don’t intend to be a crone – even one honoured for her wisdom! In reality, the most famous of the ancient Celtic triple Goddesses is Brigit, the daughter of the Dagda (Father God), often called "the poetess." The story goes that there were three of Brigits, all sisters--Brigit the Poetess, Brigit the Smith and Brigit the Doctor--patrons of their respective skills. But they are all the same age. Brigit’s multiplicity implies that she is a master of many arts – all valuable. Having said that, I am getting very tired of having...

May Facts, Customs and Traditions

Gemstone: Emerald Flower: Lilly of the Valley May is named after the Greek goddess, Maia. The month is a time of great celebrations in the northern hemisphere. It is the time when flowers emerge and crops begin to sprout. The Anglo-Saxon name for May was Tri-Milchi, in recognition of the fact that with the lush new grass cows could be milked three times a day. It was first called May in about 1430. Before then it was called Maius, Mayes, or Mai. May Day (Garland Day) In Britain, as in most parts of Western Europe, May day marked the end of the harsh winter months, welcomed the beginning of Summer, and optimistically looked forward to the bright and productive months. For our ancestors, largely in rural areas, it was a major annual festival and was celebrated through out the country, especially on the first of May with music, dancing and games. Traditional May Day celebrations included dancing around maypoles and the appearance of 'hobby horses' and characters such...

Asking the Wrong Question

Asking the Wrong Question Asking the wrong question. Have you ever asked yourself a question, only to realize that it was the wrong question? Maybe you were trying to solve a problem, but the question you asked led you down a rabbit hole of irrelevant information. Or maybe you were trying to make a decision, but the question you asked only confused you more. Whatever the case may be, asking the wrong question can be a costly mistake. It can waste your time, lead you down the wrong path, and ultimately prevent you from achieving your goals. So how can you avoid asking the wrong question? Here are a few tips: 1. Be clear about what you want to know. What is your goal? What information are you trying to find? Once you know what you want, you can start to formulate the right questions. 2. Avoid asking leading questions. Leading questions are those that suggest a particular answer. For example, asking "Don't you think that X is a good idea?" is a leading question, because it s...

The Writing Wolf

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