Creidim, 1579 AD

Although I recite the Apostles’ Creed within the walls of Murrisk Abbey,
I have other articles of faith:

I believe in Parthalón
and his druids, Fios, Eolus, and Fochmarc.¹
I believe in the Nemidians,
the Firbolgs and the Fomorians.
I believe in Macha,
the Badhbh and the Morrigán,
I believe in Connla Cain-Breathach
who challenged the druids to move the moon.
I believe in the Otherworld,
and Amergin, Milesian poet.
I believe in Fionn Mac Cumhaill
who burnt his thumb on the Salmon of Knowledge.
I believe in Cúchulainn,
the hound of Ulster, his almighty ríastrad.²
I believe in Niamh Cinn Óir
and Oisín, and Tir na nÓg,
I believe in the Children of Lir
who were changed into swans for 900 years.
I believe in Mannanán Mac Lir,
the Cailleach Bhéara and Dagda’s harp.
I believe in the Stone of Fál
that roars when touched by the rightful king.
I believe in Imbolc, Samhain,
Lughnasa and Bealtaine,
I believe in the three wonders
of Clonmacnoise, and the Morann collar.
I believe in Bridget,
pagan goddess, Christian saint.
I believe in holy wells,
seductive selkies and shapeshifting pookas.
I believe in the Scahagh of Murrisk
the whitethorn terror of O’Malley chieftains.

I believe my father holds as fast as the stony Atlantic shore.
I believe in running with the wind:
putting to sea is my way to pray.

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¹  The 3 druids of intelligence, knowledge and inquiry.
²  Warp-spasm.

First published in Grace Notes: Giving Voice to Gráinne Mhaol, Ireland’s Pirate Queen, published by Salmon Poetry, Ireland, November 2024.

**

Imbolc Incantation

Bríd, in the morning of cross-quarter day we celebrate you
Bríd, God of healing, God of smithcraft, God of poetry ó
Bríd, Dagda’s daughter, of the Tuatha Dé Danann we honour
Bríd, wife of Bres and máthair Riadán, oh how you suffered,
Bríd, when Fomorians at Moytura Battle felled your son, ó
Bríd, with his own spear, first you shrieked and last you cried and now ó
Bríd, we are hearing you, ag caoineadh as you mourn him, tender
Bríd, with your oxen Fea and Femen and your Triath, king of boars,
Bríd, your sacred beasts that always warned of plagues and raids ó
Bríd, gentle goddess, the exalted one, ’tis you we seek ó
Bríd, between words, through our aislings, in thin places we call
Bríd, you’re the echo of Danu, hearken to us through this darkling world
Ó Bríd!

**

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.
Jennifer Liston – writer, poet, singer-songwriter and keyboard player – lived in Australia for many years but is now living in Ireland. Jennifer is an electronic engineer (University of Limerick, Ireland) and holds a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Adelaide, Australia. Her fourth poetry collection, Grace Notes – Giving Voice to Grainne Mhaol, Ireland’s Pirate Queen was the partial outcome of her PhD and was published by Salmon Poetry. Jennifer performed some of the poems and songs from this collection in her five sold-out solo shows ‘Grace O’Malley, Irish Rebel, Pirate Queen’ at the Adelaide Fringe Festival 2020 and in regional South Australia.  Her poems have appeared in several journals and anthologies including Jacket2, The Canberra Times, The Australian Poetry Anthology, The Found Poetry Review, Cordite Poetry Review, Transnational Literature and Best Australian Poems. Jennifer has performed her poems at numerous Irish and Australian poetry events and on radio in Ireland and Australia. Jennifer played keyboards and sang backing vocals in many originals bands while living in Australia. Some of her original songs have been played on commercial radio in Australia. In Adelaide she was lead singer of ‘Talk on Corners’, a tribute band to popular Irish group The Corrs. Jennifer can be found at https://jenniferliston.com/