Fires of Love (Beltane celebration)

Mayday is a holiday all around the world. Like many just global feasts it has survived from the old Earth Mother tradition of early man. In Britain, it is called Beltane or Good fire. There are "good fire" feasts in Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and the Scandinavian countries so that includes most of the people descended from European stock. I must confess to not knowing a lot about African tradition but even there the ancient year festivals followed the pattern of the European eightfold year. With this universality in mind a couple of years ago I started a long term progect to pen a set of poems celebrating the eight major festivals, the four quarter days; two solstices and two equinoxes, and the four intermediary days, Imbolc (Feb 2nd) when life returns to the earth mother after the dark days; Beltane, early May,the start of the main breeding and growing season for the early agricultural societies; Lughnasa, (August 1st and for seven days,) a rest day before the serious hard work of harvesting and associated tasks begins; Samhuin (Halloween) he beginning of the sun kings yearly death and traditionally the days in which the gods are born.  

Beltane, which falls halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice, means literally "goodly fire." It is a purification festival associated with immersion in water, smoke baths for animals and with renewal in the home. It is also a fertility festival, dancing round the maypole, crowning the May Queen and well dressing are all part of the ancient Beltane traditions.

In the final stanza of the poem Goodfellow or Robin Goodfellow, sometimes an alias of Robin Hood, is an English woodland spirit of generosity and inclusiveness (robs from the rich, gives to the poor) He can be mischievous but is not bad. The Queen of Mai (old English spelling) comes from the practice of placing garlands of haw or mai flowers on the heads of available girls at Beltane.

Obviously amid all the dancing and festivity of the Beltane feast some celebration of the flesh is de rigeur and there are many pre marital and extra marital couplings. A merrybegot is a child resulting from one of these.

Fires of Love (Beltane)

Embrace the purifying flame,
throw off the cloak of inhibition.
Stoke the good fires of Beltane
and let the flames fuel love's fission.

The sun climbs high to summer glory,
unfolds the leaf and swells the bud,
delivering all of nature's dowry
and a promise, now misunderstood.

From atom's heart to human heart
spring passes the vitalising flame
and in each nucleus a spark
sets passion's ardent torch aflame.

Goodfellow lies with Queen of Mai,
the goddess smiles on merrybegot.
Fires of love join earth and sky,
reaching where men and gods cannot.

More Eightfold Year poems:
Equinox (Spring or Vernal Equinox, March 21)
Dancing with the Dead (Samhuinn or Halloween)
Solstice Fires (Winter Solstice)
Imbolc  (early February)