A few Brigidine poems using the tetractys form.
(Image description: A grayed out photo of a young person in a jacket holding a torch and looking at the viewer. The blue-white flame blows to the left and curls upward.) Credit: Photo by M.T ElGassier on Unsplash
I had been looking at this poetry form for a bit and wanted to experiment with it. The first is inspired by a meditation I did a few years ago, when I saw Brighid as being completely made of fire. The second one is inspired by the season, and the last one reflects how I imagine Brighid might be feeling in the face of current events. They each follow the tetractys form of five lines and twenty syllables total, with a syllable sequence of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10. The form was created by Ray Stebbing to create a structure similar to the haiku.
Brighid’s Embrace
Care
kindly,
Ashless Flame,
kindle my heart
to glow in Your gentle arms, my Lady.
Springtime
Wake,
bright spring
with fresh blooms,
glad bees a-buzz,
and the strong oak with its abundant limbs.
Longing for Peace
Tired,
war-worn,
voice weary,
satire ignored,
She holds Her flame up for a peaceful world.
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