Booklist


See below for news of a poetry competition and also a fascinating exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England.

Litha - the Midsummer Sabbat

By Maria Duncalf-Barber

Midsummer fireAll Hail
on this magical night
Summer Solstice arrives
Gardens everywhere in bloom
on this longest day of the year
ritual and ceremonies
performed in circles under the sun
acclaim the sun has power

Honour Mother Earth
her trees, her mountains
her flatlands, her peoples
Earth grows new food
nights get longer
Nature is alive
fruits in abundance
juices so sweet
run down your chin
as you eat in abundance
from the summer fruit
of the Goddesses
Lemon balm herbal tea is drunk
calming the senses
bringing peace of mind

Be in your body
As you dance in the sun
honouring the summer solstice
embrace the divine in all you meet
While Juno and Vesta
Beautiful Roman Goddesses
invite you to celebrate at their altar
The sacred flame burns high
at the temple
of the midsummer celebrations

Let go of your worries
Give it to the pebble
 Carry a stone in your hand
as you circle the Litha bonfire,
 whisper your request to the stone .
 turn thrice around the fire
toss the stone into the flames

Let it go
let it all go
be ready
to embrace anew
all the bounties of summer

All Hail
On this magical night
This Midsummer night.


Maria Duncalf-Barber

Maria Duncalf-Barber comes from a large family in Liverpool, England and has lived in Muskoka, Canada since 1993. She is a counsellor and educational trainer, also a motivational speaker. She has written numerous short stories and poetry, magazine and newspaper articles in Britain and Canada. She writes a regular column for Muskoka Magazine.  Writes her own column called "What's Up Bracebridge".  She has published her first book of poetry called, 'Carrying Our Altars Within-Inspirational Sacred Poetry'.  She is featured in eight anthologies of poetry and short story writing.

She is involved with photography and has won prizes for her work.  Maria loves the written word, loves being a storyteller and teaching writing and poetry workshops.

She was a semi-finalist for the short story at the Moondance Film Festival 2009.

She is presently writing and directing a documentary on Women and Aging - Aging A Work in Process.

Maria devised and teaches a personal growth programme for women called Journey towards Wholeness, and delivers workshops to corporate and community groups, besides having written and hosted her own TV programme for three years on Community Cable 10 called 'Personal Growth and Self-Development'.

Maria loves people and is excited when she midwifes them towards change, she adores the work she does. Her key word is integrity and she is living her True, authentic life and loving every moment of it. Maria’s involvement with personal growth stems from recognizing the holistic aspects of spirit, mind and body and the connection they portray.

 
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See this site for news of the first Wild Weeds Poetry Contest!

Exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford: The Lost World of Old Europe: the Danube Valley 5000 - 3500 BC. On display in Britain for the first time are more than 250 artefacts, many of them on loan from museums in Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova.

 


 



 



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