Leaving him, I was a deer –
A shy thing, wild, fearful of shadows,
Wary of sudden sound or movement.
I healed myself in the green places,
Learned my own body as a thing
Of strength and speed and beauty.
I ran. Away, at first, running from fear,
Then into myself. I ran from weakness
Into something else. A sense of being –
Back into womanhood.
Another myth-based poem for Anmol at dVerse. Irish this time – Sadhbh, wife of Fionn MacCool. The story is that the great Fionn was out hunting, and started following a doe. His dogs wouldn’t harm her, and Fionn was intrigued. He took the doe home, where she changed into a beautiful girl, Sadhbh. She’d been transformed into a deer by an evil magician. Fionn wooed and married her. Some time later, he went off warring and raiding. He appeared back, and Sadhbh ran to greet him – in fact, it was the evil magician in disguise. Sadhbh was changed back into a deer. Fionn searched the forest for her, but never found her again.
It’s a typical Irish myth – not much explanation, and part of a larger myth cycle. It’s so sad. Poor Sadhbh hasn’t a huge amount of volition in it all, but I think there’s just enough space there to imagine her inner world, and her voice, and maybe there was some freedom in being a deer? Irish women were generally more empowered in early times than most European woment seem to have been.
This is a big explanation for quite a small poem. Sorry about that.
That is gorgeous — and so powerful.
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Thank you!
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I don’t know the story, but this is lovely.
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I should have explained the story, but I was on my phone, and I hate typing on that. I’ll add it in, I think.
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I love this story. It’s so tender. Even shows the tender side of Fionn. You caught the shy, wild, fearful thing perfectly. Just lovely.
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Bravo! Another tale of the truth of womanhood and its mistaken weakness. Gorgeous Sarah!!!
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A fragile beauty, an inner strength…thanks for explaining the original story your poem is based on.
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I really love how she really found herself as the deer, free of both magician and man.
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I love her escape from nonentity! Great write.
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I was intrigued by the poem and therefore, I read the story — this is a lovely retelling by bringing her journey and identity to the forefront.
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into herself…I hope that’s true (K)
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