March 23-26 2023

Whole

I have come

with an ancient's tongue

and a newborn's feet

to keen and laugh on the hill

atop the rocks

gaze out to sea

with a wildness so sharp it seemed shaped by the master himself.

Metal, molten edge

once hot, burning-to-touch

now a clear blade from a million scattered moments

from hell to Whole and back again;

the underworld merely and otherworld.

The salt

lasted longer

than the sensation

it sweats memory.

The wave came then,

obliterating--

--leaving us: Whole.

So I believed my skin was mirrored in the sand of my ancestor’s footsteps

earth-time

lasted longer

than forever's soft touch

In the wake of the universe

Her sense of self --

--a cavern, carcass, crevace

awaited me

a curiosity sat inside,

ready for my

Return. And so it is,

I went back

into the Oak

remembering ways

waters singing

eternal renewal

in an everlasting stutter:

Wholly

Holy

Soul

Ful-ly

generosity revealed

I became the tree

and a gentle tear in the earth

opened.

Our days have been abundant, mysterious, and ever-revealing. Em and I arrived in Dublin a few hours between each other. After a stop at a delicious coffee shop and food store in Dublin, we continued our way to Kildare.

On our first full day we found ourselves present at St. Bigids well. There we met Valorie, a local woman who asked us to pray for her as she was struggling with depression. We sang and prayed with her, and after that was invited for tea. Her home was so welcoming, pink painted everywhere and photos of her and her daughter were all around. I felt like I was in the presence of my own grandmother, Janet Burke, as I felt this would be the decor she would use in her home. It was truly a special bond with Valorie, she taught us a lot and we carry it along with us on our journey. On our drive South that evening, we stopped at an amazing castle and enjoyed a pleasant warm drink and conversation with the key keeper of the castle. He said his grandparents were buried up at the castle and that the key had been in their family for generations. It was built by druids and pagan priests and was later home to many High Kings of Munster.

The next two nights we spent outside of Cork along the seaside. We went to two more wells, one we found on our way to St. Decklans Well (which we did not get to), quite by a mystical happening-upon. As we were walking passed Em noticed that it was indeed a well. So we dawned our white dresses and communed with the holy waters. It was a powerful experience gazing out at the sea, sensing the memory of the stones and water. We met a woman at this well too. Her name was Soundra, and she carried with her a book she had bought that morning to give as a gift. She wanted to also take a picture of it by the well as it was called, “Angels in My Hair”. It seemed fitting that she happened upon Em and me in our white dresses next to that very well.

Both Soundra and Valorie both told us they had no intentions of going to the well that day, but had been mysteriously pulled to go as they were out and about.

That night we enjoyed a most delightful seaweed bath at Solas Na Mara. A highly recommended and nourishing experience. The warmed seaweed at the most magnificent gooey texture that left our hair extra gorgeous for days.

The final well we meandered Northwest. We found a secret portal into the forest near the Shannon River. We spent time with the mosses and trees, and stones and a lake. The sunlight came through the trees illuminating the mystery. From there we continued to Doolin. On our way, we went to another Well for St. Brigid. People have been coming with their prayers to this well for a very long time. It was filled with many people's energy and stories, and a human-formed cave led to the sacred water. We then went to the cliffs where we witnessed a beautiful sunset, sang, and danced.

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