Aran Woman

to the women who carry the stones

To the women
who carry the stones—
I sea you
in this water,
on this bank of pebbled sand.
In the bundles of kelp,
the sounds of jumping goats.

I sea you
as the sky fades and
brilliance consumes,
in these ancient tombs,
holding names
we never knew.

I sea you
in worn hands
and Gaelic tunes,
in power revered
of the storm ruins—
in the fairy doors.

I sea you
in the temples—
on the alters
bare and right
where we’ve always
supposed to of been—
defiant again.

I see you
as this world heals,
in slowed ways
and prayer days
in how you raise
the young,
Her spoken tongue.

I sea you
here in the wind
of gentle gives
and holden tight
my soul deep lives
with the women
who carry the stones.

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Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

I spent several weeks in Ireland last fall. On a small island off the western cost of Galway, called Inishmór. Allegedly, this is the most Irish place in all of Ireland.

It’s an island of stones. The Celtic (and ahem, pagan) history here is evident in every nook and cranny of the 12 square mile island. Gah, even thinking about it makes my bones ache with anticipation of my next travel-soothes-my-soul adventure.

But on this mystical, ancient island, I learned a lot about the women.

I witnessed women in circles at pubs, singing Gaelic tunes as if the songs belonged to their very bones.

I sat with crone elders and heard stories about the women on the island who fished, who built, who led.

And the children— I saw the women raising the children with creativity and tenacity.

And today, world, I am thinking of theses women who carry the stones.

I am left with a taste of resentment in my mouth after the U.S. presidential election results. I am angry at the men.

I am angry at the men. I am angry at the men. I am ANGRY AT THE MEN.

And I wonder when. When will it be our time. When will the men learn to listen.

When will women be valued by the men.

I don’t know when. But until then, I know we will continue.

We will continue to be the women who carry the stones.

Sending you the strengths of ancient Celtic stones today,

Hunni Bloom

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