ogham for october

[monkey boy]

ash for the arrow, yew for the bow
oak for the staff and elm in the fire.
beech for the waysign, birch in the boat
whistles of willow, pine for the pyre.

rowan to carry, blackthorn for hedgerow
birch for the broomstick, elder for wine.
ash for the ocean and hazel for wands
oak is for mistletoe, holly for kine.

waste not the heartwood;
full craft in things made.
praise all the woodland;
give thanks for the shade.

[laleesh]

monkey boy, this is totally delightful! i adore the woods; and they evidently adore me too - not long ago, from the very heart of england by the hand of a very talented artisan there, came a rowan wand my way! :)

my daughter will be marrying soon and wants her marriage bed crafted of one of the finer woods. would you have any suggestions, monkey boy? of what type of wood she might use for this purpose?



:)
laleesh

[monkey boy]

thanks - what a nice gift you were given!

she'll be wanting a strong, solid wood for a strong, solid bed and a like marriage - oak, ash, hard maple, cherry and walnut come to mind. my best wishes to your daughter - what a wonderful time for her (and for you!)
mb

[sincere_poet]

Amazing! wishin' I could write poetry like this - but so glad you can - so I can enjoy it! :)

[monkey boy]

thanks Janet, for reading and for your kind comments.
mb

[DaBomb]

Not only a great cadent piece, but also an informational guide through wood types. Nice multi-tasking there mb. I do love the look of wood in furniture and homes - there's nothing like a barewood floor or solid oak door. Enjoyable work.

Bryan

[monkey boy]

thanks, Bryan. it falls into the same vein as Lala's Kingsmoon poem I think. the ancient peoples, no matter where they lived on the earth, knew which plants and trees were best suited for different uses. these held significance in their everyday lives, and so are figured in symbol and ritual.

oh, and I love the old oak flooring in my house as well :)
mb

[nannabug]

What a treat, mb! How pleasing to know that the old crafts are still remembered. :)

[monkey boy]

my thanks to you, nannabug, for your kind comments!
mb