| 
|
Page: Profile: Poetry
| Total Views: 9,539,117
|


Poem Specs

VxPoem ID: 21069

Category: myth_legend

Posted: April 10th. 2006 11:20:06 PM

Views: 1200 |
The Song of Lugh and Sreng

by Rev Jorinx
 Age Group: Adult

In times of old, when magic was as commonplace As the vast ocean and the ever patient Mother Earth, As the sun's flames who with their light and warmth bring mirth And all the stars who do at night the sable darkness grace, In such old times there came to Ireland a mystic race.
Tuatha de Danann, the children of Danu, they were And they brough with them four great treasures of great might: To feed their hungry, slay their foes, to give their chosen ones the second sight. The tales of these strange boons found everywhere an eager ear And reached at last King Sreng who with a host of armed men drew near.
Tuatha de Danann's Nuada King prayed for a parley with the warlike Sreng, An' Sreng yield half the island, they could live in peace -- Else war should rage and blood would flow without surcease. And Sreng spoke with his chieftains. After lengthy reckoning, He did return and spoke, "Then let the noise of war and murder ring!" Two fearsome hosts did at Moytura meet, and fearsome were the cries of war and death, As men with sword and axe and spear tore helmets, shields and mail-coats, And blood of brothers, fathers, sons stained fields and pastures and the muddy roads. The echoes of the mayhem rang through vales and could be heard in city and on heath. Too great the woe! too large the count of those who gave their dying breath!
Alas! Nuada King his arm did lose, though he was valorous and brave, And soreley maimed thus could not claim the victory: For whole in body must the Lord of the Tuatha be. And Sreng's revenge upon Nuada's folk was swift and grave: To those he did not slay, a barren exile 'twas he gave.
Sreng took their meadows rich and fertile lands, And to the forests wild he banished the children of Danu. Among these hapless souls was found the fair Tailtiu. She had a handsome son named Lugh, was skilled and strong as any man. "My mother dear, " he said. "I shall redeem my folk when grown I am."
The years passed on, and Lugh advanced in stature and in skill And mastered all the skills of metalcraft and weaponry, Of magic, music, ancient lore and poetry. At length he journeyed on to mystic Tara Hill, And bade the guard, "Unbolt the gates; this is my will."
"We have a metalsmith and men who master spear and sword, " Spoke the Old Guard with surly mien and did not yield. "And we have men who know the ways to master farm and field, And men who know the ancient songs, the power of song and word. What canst thou offer us that we should grant thee board?"
"Have you a man who masters all this things, I pray, " Lugh spoke. "No, " said the old guard and he unbolted then the heavy gate. "Lest thou wilt join our lot and share our fate." "I come here to redeem my people from cruel Sreng's oppressive yoke, " Lugh said. "To give back peace and freedom to my kin and folk."
Two mighty hosts did at Moytura meet, and fearsome were the cries of war and death, As men with sword and axe and spear tore helmets, shields and mail-coats, And blood of brothers, fathers, sons stained fields and pastures and the muddy roads. The echoes of the mayhem rang through vales and could be heard in city and on heath. Too great the woe! too large the count of those who gave their dying breath!
And yet, great Sreng did lose the day -- it mattered not how mighty was his host. Far in the sky the kites of battle soared, And Lugh excelled in all the skills and arts of war. Sreng did pay for his greed at mighty cost: Despite his strength and cruelty, 'twas he who lost.
 Author's Notes: Here is my latest piece, originally written for Lughnasad 2005.
I love writing form and epic poetry, and I wish more poets would buckle down and do the same. Okay, that was my moment on the soap box.
I salute the awesome folks from Emerald Rose, and every Pagan artist.

Author's Location: Portland, Oregon More Poems: Rev Jorinx has posted 4 additional poems- View them? Author's Profile: To learn more about Rev Jorinx - Click HERE
Contact Me Via Email...
Email Invites Note: Yes! I have opted to receive invites to Pagan events, groups, and commercial sales
Disclaimer: The Witches' Voice inc does not verify the accuracy of the details stated in this listing, nor do we vouch for the value of the goods or services presented here... As with all contacts and financial dealings in cyberspace, we encourage you to use caution and wisdom in your dealings with strangers.
Political Statements: Any and all personal political opinions expressed in the public listing sections (including, but not restricted to, personals, events, groups, shops, Wren's Nest, etc.) are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinion of The Witches' Voice, Inc. TWV is a non-profit, non-partisan educational organization.
|
State/Country flags created by 3dflags.com and are used with permission
Web Site Content (including: text - graphics - html - look & feel)
Copyright 1997-2013 The Witches' Voice Inc. All rights reserved
Note: Authors & Artists retain the copyright for their work(s) on this website.
Unauthorized reproduction without prior permission is a violation of copyright laws.
Website structure, evolution and php coding by Fritz Jung on a Macintosh G5.
Any and all personal political opinions expressed in the public listing sections (including, but not restricted to, personals, events, groups, shops, Wren’s Nest, etc.) are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinion of The Witches’ Voice, Inc. TWV is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization.
Sponsorship: Visit the Witches' Voice Sponsor Page for info on how you can help support this Community Resource. Donations ARE Tax Deductible.
The Witches' Voice carries a 501(c)(3) certificate and a Federal Tax ID.
Mail Us: The Witches' Voice Inc., P.O. Box 341018, Tampa, Florida 33694-1018 U.S.A.
| |
|