Thursday 14 February 2008

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!

Wednesday 13 February 2008

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!

Wednesday 6 February 2008

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

Friday 1 February 2008

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.