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.