Suzanne’s Personal Poem for 12/21/2022
Poem – Mari Lwyd
In the old Druids days.
In the winter when the darkened haze.
Gave time to create traditions of wit.
Rather than just eat and get a gift.
The Soloistic holiday was battle of rhymes.
Music was a tradition for children’s bedtimes.
The skull of a horse was covered in cloth.
Glass bottle eyes shone under a tablecloth.
The skeletal horse would walk to your front door.
And sing a song that you could not ignore.
The horses name was Mari Lwyd (Mari Lloyd).
In ancient times, she was not someone to avoid.
She was the Horse of Frost, the White Horse of the Sea.
She tries to get in through mirth and glee.
The horse would roam from town to town.
Best to keep your wits when that mare comes around.
She offers a challenge in the form of a song.
She would make it rhyme and wanted the game to go quite long.
Your job was to reply with equal or better rhyme.
You had to be quick and had limited time.
The game was fast in order to get inside.
To have a drink and sit by the warm fireside.
It was a tradition that was almost lost.
But it was good fun and too interesting to be tossed.
~Suzanne Wagner~
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