Candlemas

01 Friday Feb 2019

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There is a complicated relationship between many Christian festivals and the preceding Pagan celebrations. Candlemas is one such where there is Imbolc, a celebration of spring and fertility with the goddess Brigid at this time with the Christian presentation of Jesus at the Temple with the purification of Mary. This poem seeks to celebrate light and shine good Light into the darkest corners of this troubled world.

Candlemas
(Purify and pray)

Present the child and purify,
purify and pray;
pray that all the prejudice
leaves us from this day.

Light a candle, light one more,
light a thousand strong;
so we can see in darkest night,
and right will conquer wrong.

Present the child and purify,
purify and pray;
pray that all injustices
are broken down today.

Light a candle, light one more,
light can do no wrong;
it lights the darkest corner,
illuminates our song.

The song of hope and faith and love;
The song of praise and awe,
that through winter’s bitter cold
the sun will rise once more.

Present the child and purify
purify and pray;
pray as we hold our candles high
that all will find their way.

DennyBradbury©
Love and peace

Edwin Muir

11 Tuesday Sep 2018

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In May I had the pleasure of visiting the Orkney Islands for a short (too short) holiday. I was overwhelmed by their beauty and the friendliness of the people. St Magnus Cathedral is stunningly beautiful and I became re-aquainted with the poet Edwin Muir. As a child I read his poetry knowing very little about him.

Here is one of my favourites:

The Castle

All through that summer at ease we lay,
and daily from the turret wall
We watched the mowers in the hay
And the enemy half a mile away.
They seemed no threat to us at all.

For what, we thought had we to fear
With our arms and provender, load on load,
And towering battlement, tier on tier,
And friendly allies drawing near
On every leafy summer road.

Our gates were strong, our walls were thick,
So smooth and high, no man could win, no clever trick
Could take us, have us dead or quick.
Only a bird could have got in.

What could they offer us for bait?
Our captain was brave and we were true …
There was a little private gate,
A little wicked wicket gate.
The wizened warder let them through.

Oh then our maze of tunnelled stone
Grew thin and treacherous as air.
The cause was lost without a groan,
The famous citadel overthrown,
And all its secret galleries bare.

How can this shameful tale be told?
I will maintain until my death
We could do nothing, being sold;
Our only enemy was gold,
And we had no arms to fight it with.

Edwin Muir

It is wonderful to discover or re-discover wonderful poets.

Let peace and love rule the world.
Denny Bradbury – Green Poet

WW1 – New Poem

25 Wednesday Apr 2018

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I regularly visit St Mary’s Church Bramshott in Hampshire. It has a Commonwealth War Grave site there to commemorate Canadian soldiers who died in the two world wars. It is a smallish site compared to those perhaps on the continent but still it is a special and peaceful place. I go there to sit and think about war and sacrifice – saddened by the seemingly endless need to fight. But one must not be maudlin so I try to remember all the good people in the world who work tirelessly for peace, respect and harmony.

Here is my poem to the people in Bramshott Churchyard:

One Hundred Years
(In honour of the soldiers in Bramshott Graveyard)

The graveyard where you soldiers sleep,
all tidy in neat rows;
is tranquil, calm, restorative;
Your fate, God only knows.

Spring sunshine plays about your stones,
pure white or grey of years,
the morning is a peaceful one,
sad memories bring tears.

War Graves Commission keeps the grass
so carefully its mown,
rest quietly with honour kept,
you stepped up each alone.

The wider world is still at war.
We never get it right,
But while there is still fear and greed
humans will always fight.

One hundred years, one hundred years
since your war was resolved;
but what a world we know today,
of that you are absolved.

So rest in peace with grateful thanks.
We owe you much and more.
I’m sorry though we’re still at odds
since you have fought your war.

Your graves have peace, what irony!
No wonder that I grieve
to think of all you lost and gave.
So now I take my leave.

Denny Bradbury2018© very best wishes for a good day and a peaceful world.

A Poem for Lent

28 Wednesday Mar 2018

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As we draw close to a very early Easter I realise I have neglected my website. Trauma in the family can take our mind away from what we hope to do so I offer this poem for late Lent and hope that it strikes a chord:

Forty Days

Forty days and forty nights
now that’s a long long time
to be without, with no one near
to cheer you with a rhyme,
or sunny smile or cheerful chat,
such loneliness can kill
the isolated; who are left
may feel that burden still.

But Jesus in his hour of need
sought solace from his Dad,
who gave him strength to carry on
though hunger drove him mad;
but not enough to listen to
the voices in his head
that told him he could aspire,
he turned away instead.

Just as we might also seek
the comfort of the Light,
that brightens each and every day
so we are safe from fright.

Fear drives too many down the path
the wrong and thorny way;
let us rejoice in company
and welcome in the stray.

For who knows where,
why, what or when
we may that stranger be
Let hope and faith open our door
ask Jesus in for tea.

I wish you a joyful and peaceful Easter time and let us work for a greener and better world DennyBradbury©

A Nugget from Marcus Aurelius

19 Monday Feb 2018

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I have recently discovered the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. In a modern world not everything he says has full resonance but this jumped off the page at me:

From Book 4 –

“So one should pass through this tiny fragment of time in tune with nature, and leave it gladly, as an olive might fall when ripe, blessing the earth which bore it and grateful to the tree which gave it growth.”

Very best wishes for a greener earth – Denny Bradbury 💚