Today is All Saints Day, a day to celebrate the saints in heaven.
Saint Mary to me is actually one of the Divine Feminines of the Christian community, to me personally She is a Goddess, a Divine and Cosmic Mother. In her dark aspect she is the Black Madonna, archetype of the dark goddess, along the same guises as Ereshkigal, Cerridwen and Hecate. My first experience with the Black Madonna wasn't that long ago. During a ceremony in the Glastonbury Abbey House, we were lucky enough to have a Black Madonna bought to us from the White Spring. It was such an honour and a blessing. As we entered her chamber deep in the crypt of the old Abbey House, we had our feet washed with water from the White Spring, we sat in the tiny dark room, candle light flickered quietly, highlighting the tiny figurine. We sung our sorrows and pain to her, we sang our shame and our guilt to her, tears fell and joy slowly blossomed within our hearts. And there She stuck, another piece of myself. The Black Madonna.
I was thinking about this experience, and poetry was the only way I could express it.
I hope you enjoy it, here's to the beautiful Saint.
Smoked Black by Candle Light
The scent of old damp stone.
Your very image,
Smoked black by candle light.
A gentle light flickers against your face.
Your very image,
Smoked black by candle light.
Small flecks of guild still shine.
Your very image,
Smoked black by candle light.
Christ child, beloved one.
Your very image,
Smoked black by candle light.
Tears, so many tears.
Your very image,
Smoked black by candle light.
Peace, let there by peace.
Your very image,
Smoked black by candle light.
Your face, O your face,
Smoked black by candle light.
By Daniel Mcilvenny-Cox
