A Million Wimmin Rose!

Just to let all you who have welcomed my specific brand of positive discrimnatory sexism, I had the most brilliant international wimmins day ever! I was part of a river of wimmin of many ages, colours and lifestyles who flowed from Hyde park down Park Lane, along Piccadilly, down Haymarket, to create a sea of beauty in Trafalgar Square. We sang and danced and celebrated being wimmin. The speakers were more ordinary wimmin talking about their lives than celebrities. I was moved to tears as a muslim woman asked us to imagine being held down and unable to move by wimmin we trust, our mothers and aunts, helpless as they gouge out our clitoris with rusty and dirty knives and sew up out labia leaving only a hole as big as the tip of our little finger....If we survived this mutilation , the problems with menstruation, child birth sex etc were a lifelong struggle.

I met five of my oldest and dearest friends and we sang my song again and again with different pockets of wimmin to the tune of "If you're angry and you know it stamp your feet".

Sila na Gig came with us and daances with Eros and Nelson - photos to be added when I get home!

Then we danced all night! One twenty four hour orgy all about aand by wimmin - just for a change!

Happy Vulva Day!

Many moons ago, when I was studying radical anthropology, and vulva imagery in prehistoric art, we re-named 14 February as Vulva Day! Then a friend and I composed and performed The Vulva Show. We wore vulva masks, made slides of paintings and photos of vulvas and I sang:

I sing of all the vulvas in the world
I sing of all the vulvas that I mourn
I sing of all the vulvas that are cut and torn

I sing of all the vulvas that are sewn to fit a custom or a man
I sing of all the vulvas that are raped
I sing of all the sacred parts of women that are desecrate

I sing of women’s wisdom and I sing of women’s pain
I sing of women’s courage and I sing of women’s rage
I sing of ancient wisdom and I sing of ancient lore
I sing of times when women’s parts were named with reverence and with awe

I sing of times that may have been of times that may yet be
I sing of beauty, joy and love, exquisite ecstasy
I sing to break the silence and I sing to ease the pain
I sing and dream a future where we can be whole again

This was the first time I ever sang in public, unaccompanied, infront of a vagina dentata slide with a veil.

We called ourselves Sheela Na Gig, in honour of the goddesses who display their vulvas on medieaval church walls. And I also sang:

Síla na Gig

by Bríd Wyldearth 1993

Wild Witch, Vulva Woman,
Vulgar, vulgar Vulva Woman,
Orgasmic, dancing Vulva Woman, Sila na Gig.

Frog Woman, Toad Woman,
Bleeding Woman, Bloody Woman,
Eerie, hairy Faerie Woman, Sila na Gig.

Sitting on a steeple wall,
Bathing your vulva in the sun,
Laughing as they go to church, Sila na Gig.

Woman on the edge of time,
Gate between the worlds,
Doorway to life and death, Sila na Gig.

Wild Witch, Vulva Woman,
Vulgar, vulgar Vulva Woman,
Holy, sacred vulva woman, Sila na Gig.


This song came to me after I saw my first Síla on whittlesford church and I think I have uploaded my painting of her at the beginning of this entry.

We were celebrating our womanhood and our sexuality. We wanted to say that there is no excuse for rape or misogyny and that keeping wimmin covered up and hidden away from the world does not prevent rape, all it does is make wimmin feel responsible if they are raped.

So today I celebrate my vulva, my sexuality, my right to roam, dressed as I like and all the other luscious, beautiful and sacred parts of woman in the world!

May All The Wimmin In The World Be Safe And Free

Of course that was not the final draft! I went to Mandi's on Thursday and sang till midnight. We even sang down the phone to Gemma. But the minute I got in my car I had forgotten the tune! Here is what I hope is the final draft:

May All The Women In The World Be Safe And Free
by Bríd Wyldearth (words) and Mandi Laugharne (musical arrangement) 2008

May all the women in the world be safe and free.
May we never live in fear and misery.
Nourished and protected,
Cherished and respected,
May all the women in the world be safe and free.

May all the women in the world be safe and free.
And if any man has violent tendencies,
May he choose to stop before he acts
And get his kicks down other tracks.
May all the women in the world be safe and free.

May all the women in the world be safe and free.
But if a woman suffers rape or cruelty,
May we believe her when she tells us,
May we rage and demand justice.
May all the women in the world be safe and free.

May all the women in the world be safe and free.
If men violate our freedom or safety,
May we be heard and supported,
Empowered and comforted.
May all the women in the world be safe and free.

May all the women in the world be safe and free.
May we never live in fear and misery.
Nourished and protected,
Cherished and respected,
May all the women in the world be safe and free.

May all the children of the earth be safe and free.
May we never live in fear and misery.
Nourished and protected,
Cherished and respected,
May all the children of the earth be safe and free.



Then, on Monday, we tried recording ourselves at St Non's well. There were a number of strange things that happened on the tapes. And when we came to copy the tapes one sounded like a male ghost. On the one where we had used the well as an echo chamber, Mandi had even caught my flatness and I apologised to Gemma for complete failiure. I did however listen to them all again this morning and the first recording of Mandi solo nolonger sounded like a male ghost. So I upped the base and re-recorded it and sent it off. I am hoping that Gemma might be able to make a more professional recording and I may even manage to post it here.

I feel that I want to explain that I was shut up in school and church as a child for being tone deaf. I have since had singing lessons and even managed to sing one of my songs in public but I still have difficult following some tunes and despite going flat in places, I have actually enjoyed hearing the recordings of my voice. I shall be listening to Mandi's recording every day so that I can sing along in Trafalgar Square without risking turning everybody else flat!

millionwomen rise and international womens day

There is now a wonderful web of poetry circling cyberspace! I am taking it very slowly to give each poem her due. But just a glance at Branches up, roots down has changed my mood and renewed my hope that we can by acts like this create a beautiful and peaceful world together!

I am both terrified and excited as I look forward to reading some of my poems for Women Centre Stage in Swansea on 5th March and then rise with a million wimmin at Hyde Park, speakers corner, where we will sing a song wot I rote before marching to Trafalgar Square for a Rally calling on the world to end male violence towards wimmin, on international wimmins day!

Here is whar I think the final draft is:

May All The Women In The World Be Safe And Free
by Bríd Wyldearth 2008

May all the women in the world be safe and free
May we never live in fear and misery
May we be nourished and protected
May we be cherished and respected
May all the women in the world be safe and free

May all the women in the world be safe and free
If any want to cause one fear or misery
May he choose to stop before he acts
And get his kicks down other tracks
May all the women in the world be safe and free

May all the women in the world be safe and free
And if any cause one fear or misery
May we believe her when she tells us
May we rage and demand justice
May all the women in the world be safe and free

May all the women in the world be safe and free
And if any cause one fear or misery
May we comfort her and heal her
May we support her and empower her
May all the women in the world be safe and free

May all the women in the world be safe and free
May we never live in fear and misery
May we be nourished and protected
May we be cherished and respected
May all the women in the world be safe and free

May all the children of the earth be safe and free
May we never live in fear and misery
May we be nourished and protected
May we be cherished and respected
May all the children of the earth be safe and free

Poem for the third annual Brigid cyber reading

On the radio this week, I heard how many millions of miles per hour our planet is travelling around the sun, the galactic centre and other star systems. I am afraid that, although it was mind boggling, I cannot remember the exact number. I have always been slower than most, the only race I ever won was the slow bicycle race! And now that I live on the coast of West Wales with ME, I have slowed down even more. May I invite you to slow down and listen as you make your plans and pledges for the coming year?


SLOW DANCE


by Bríd Wyldearth 2006


slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the land
lie down on her soft belly and feel her breathe
she is a wild old woman who will not be rushed
and if we can slow down and listen long enough
we might also gain the courage not to rush
the courage to dance with her
our hearts beating time with the timeless heart
of this wise old woman who will not be rushed
we might hear the secrets that she holds
the thousand daily miracles that she unfolds
in every cell of her magnificent body
slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the land

slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to a tree
put your arms around her and feel her breathe
she is an ancient, rooted being who stands proud and tall
and if we can slow down and listen long enough
we might also gain the courage to stand proud and tall
the courage to dance with her
our hearts beating time with the timeless heart
of this ancient, rooted being who stands proud and tall
we might hear the secrets that she holds
the thousand daily miracles that she unfolds
in every cell of her magnificent body
slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to a tree

slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the birds
rise at dawn and hear them sing
they are sun serenading divas who sing their own songs
and if we can slow down and listen long enough
we might also gain the courage to sing our own songs
the courage to sing with them
our hearts beating time with the timeless hearts
of these sun serenading divas who sing their own songs
we might hear the secrets that they hold
the thousand daily miracles that they unfold
in every cell of her magnificent bodies
slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the birds


slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the stars
lie down away from streetlights and watch them dance
they are sparkling, mythic guides who follow their own paths
and if we can slow down and listen long enough
we might also gain the courage to follow our own paths
the courage to dance with them
our hearts beating time with the timeless hearts
of these sparkling, mythic guides who follow their own paths
we might hear the secrets that they hold
the thousand daily miracles that they unfold
in every cell of her magnificent bodies
slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the stars

slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the sun
sit down by the sea and watch her set
she is a dazzling, hot goddess who knows how to shine
and if we can slow down and listen long enough
we might also gain the courage to learn how to shine
the courage to dance with her
our hearts beating time with the timeless heart
of this dazzling, hot goddess who knows how to shine
we might hear the secrets that she holds
the thousand daily miracles that she unfolds
in every cell of her magnificent body
slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the sun

slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the moon
lie down in a stone circle and bathe in her light
she is a cool, silver goddess who caresses the earth
and if we can slow down and listen long enough
we might also gain the courage to caress the earth
the courage to dance with her
our wombs beating time with the timeless womb
of this cool, silver goddess who caresses the earth
we might hear the secrets that she holds
the thousand monthly miracles that she unfolds
in every cell of her magnificent body
slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the moon

slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the sea
lie down in her watery belly and feel her breathe
she is a gentle and stormy mother who will not be tamed
and if we can slow down and listen long enough
we might also gain the courage not to be tamed
the courage to dance with her
our hearts beating time with the timeless heart
of this gentle and stormy mother who will not be tamed
we might hear the secrets that she holds
the thousand daily miracles that she unfolds
in every cell of her magnificent body
slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the sea


slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the land
lie down on her soft belly and feel her breathe
she is a wild old woman who will not be rushed
and if we can slow down and listen long enough
also gain we might the courage not to rush
the courage to dance with her
our hearts beating time with the timeless heart
of this wise old woman who will not be rushed
we might hear the secrets that she holds
the thousand daily miracles that she unfolds
in every cell of her magnificent body
slow down, slow down, slow down,
and listen, really listen to the land.

This is a photograph of my painting: Holy well and Sacred Flame. It is an abstract representation of the Goddess from whom I get my name, Bríd, goddess of fire and water, poetry, healing and smithcraft. We celebrate her feast on 2nd February as the first lambs are born to suckle in ewes milk from which we get the ancient name of her feast Imbolc - pronounced imolg.

Here is an invocation which I wrote some years ago and use on this day:

Invocation to Bríd

by Bríd Wyldearth 2007

Bríd, Brighde, Brigid, Birgit, Brigita, Brigantia

Woman of the Sacred Flame

Woman of the Deep Well

Gone is the time of little sun, ruled by the fierce, one-eyed hag, Cailleach

In a chariot, drawn by swans, she rode to the Sacred Isle of Youth

She drank from the spring in the holy oak grove

and transformed into youthful, beauteous Bríd

like the snake, emerging from her winter lair,

sloughing her skin, renewed again

re last post

I am new to this Blog buisness so please forgive me for omitting to add that the last post was copied from Oak on her blog branchesup.blogspot.com . Thank you Oak for this invitation. Last year we held a minifestival on wimminsmoondrum@yahoogroups.com because I did not yet have a blog or know how to access them with dial up connection from a windows 98 machine! A Happy and poetic Imbolc
to anyone who reads this!

Invitation to the third annual Imbolc cyberspace poetry reading

Well, Anne Hill asked if we were going to do this again, and I say YES! Feel free to copy the following to your blog and spread the word. Let poetry bless the blogosphere once again!

WHAT: A Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading

WHEN: Anytime February 2, 2008

WHERE: Your blog

WHY: To celebrate the Feast of Brigid, aka Groundhog Day

HOW: Select a poem you like - by a favorite poet or one of your own - to post February 2nd.

RSVP: If you plan to publish, feel free to leave a comment and link on this post. Last year when the call went out there was more poetry in cyberspace than I could keep track of. So, link to whoever you hear about this from and a mighty web of poetry will be spun.

Feel free to pass this invitation on to any and all bloggers.

Thank you, Reya, for beginning what is now an annual event.

Imbolc Full Moon

IMBOLC FULL MOON 22 JANUARY2008

I lay on my couch in front of my wood burning stove and started to drum on my large moon like drum. She sang with the heat of the fire and I filled my charkas with firey earth energy and then icy moon light through thick clouds and sheltering roof.

I journeyed to my clan lodge and was welcomed with hugs and love. I felt that I belonged. I was told that when we ask for something we have to be prepared for the possibility that the answer might be “No”. It was necessary to start the wimminsmoondrum for my own solitary journey. The dream of community and wimmins drumming shaking the earth may only belong to dream reality. I might never have met the wimmin in my clan and moon lodge had I not started the moon drum. My grandmother noticed that my singing voice was stronger and more in tune. I was given a wolf mask to wear – to feel how it was to be wolf and told to read up about wolves – maybe it is my lot to be a lone and grumpy wolf, longing for clan….

We went together as wolf clan to the moon lodge and I went to the centre of the labyrinth and howled. Bev was there and gave me a big hug – said that she would not have missed it. She noticed that I had her lippy in my coat pocket.

I sent blessings to each woman in the drum and came back, exhausted into my living room…. And kissed my beautiful drum.