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Lady Gwyn
I hear the scratching of a claw—
A disembodied monkey’s paw
Scraping at decaying bones.
I feel a gust of ghostly moans
Wuther through my withered heart.
It’s time to stir. It’s time to start
This ghastly party with a scare
To widen eyes and heighten hair.
It’s time to lose my noble head
And hover with the roving dead.
I’m summoned by a lilting song
From lusty lads in masks who long
To bask in all I’ll bring to pass.
I ask the faceless looking glass—
Am I the spookiest of all
Who gather at this ghoulish ball?
In faery tulle of airy white
(That’s barely there) I’m quite the sight—
A flirty fright—a sorceress
Of fiendish deed and saucy dress.
I have my ebon pig in tow
And magic apple seeds to sow.
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Poet’s Note: A spirit of Halloween is the “White Lady” of lore. She appears in Celtic tales as a shapeshifter who floats over lakes or wanders in apple orchards. She’s a faery, a protector, a seductress, and sometimes a kidnapper. In the British Isles, Lady Gwyn (or Wen) is a headless conjurer accompanied by the devil in the form of a black sow. In South Wales men and boys wearing sheepskins and masks sang to summon her from the apple orchards.
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Susan Jarvis Bryant is a poet originally from the U.K., now living on the Gulf Coast of Texas.
What a delight. I had to look up “Lady Gwyn” and I assume she is the same as “Y Ladi Wen,” “Y Ddynes Mewn Gwyn,” and the “Lady in White”?
This is a brilliant evocation of an ancient creature of Celtic mythology. Connecting her with Halloween is perfectly appropriate, and the diction and imagery used here are expert. What an amazing use of the English language! Susan, you are a treasure.
It should be noted that the “white woman” is also at the etymological root of the name Guinevere, King Arthur’s queen. Like Morgan Le Fay, she can have both a good and an evil aspect.
From seeing and listening to you on ABB’s recent lengthy video, Susan, it’s hard for me to imagine you as someone who could pen a piece this terrifying, even for Halloween – but, as they say, “you can’t judge a book by its cover”. GREAT little piece. -:) (Watch your back, Mike!)
It´s hard to understand what young lads would find attractive about a headless ghost! No matter how “saucy” the dress, that missing head would seem to be a physical defect very hard for a young man to overlook. The evil black sow at her side would likewise be a bit off-putting for any “eager beaver” wanting to take that headless beauty out on a date.
Old Celtic legends can seem very strange at times, and the ancient rituals associated with them seem downright kooky today, but they provide “grist for the mill” for the creative imagination of a poet like yourself, as you have shown in this poem, which artfully creates a spooky mood in lilting language, as delicately woven as a spider´s web, that portrays the mist-filled scene from the spectre´s perspective.
A mystical piece that reminds us of the fears of yore, especially when the nights close in.
I particularly liked the line ‘To widen eyes and heighten hair’. In my case, Gwyn would have had to settle just for the wide eyes.
Thanks for the read, Susan.
Thank you for the footnote describing the historical context of Lady Gwyn. It seems you brought her to life again in your spooky Halloween poem.
I adore this bewitching poem, Susan, on a subject completely unknown to me. So not only have you given me the shivers, you’ve introduced me to something new and fascinating. I especially like you presenting this as a first-person narrative from the ghost’s point of view, but the language really is stellar — especially that linking of Yorkish “wuther” (with all those scary moor connotations) and “withering.” I also like your little nod to Sleeping Beauty’s mirror.
So as one of the incognoscenti, I’m left to wonder: why apples? And why the sow? And if she’s so scary, why are men and boys going out of their way to summon her? That she is both repellant and attractive strikes me as quite mysterious.
A beautifully bewitching Halloween poem! You have eloquently captured the true spirit of the season with this masterfully written folklore.
Susan, you’ve triumphed again. I really enjoyed this. A spooky poem, but just a tad frivolous. Great stuff.
Enjoyed this poem with your usual memorable words and phrases, Susan. I too liked your “heightened hair” in response to fright and the rest of your word-painting.
So sorry to read about your health setback. I have added you and Sally to my ever-growing list.
A big “THANK YOU!” to all who have read and commented on my poem. I thoroughly appreciate your encouraging and perceptive observations.
The good and evil aspect pointed out by Joe is key to the mystical feel of the poem.
Brian’s “I’m left to wonder: why apples? And why the sow? And if she’s so scary, why are men and boys going out of their way to summon her?” demands and answer… so – Lady Gwyn hides out in apple orchards. I plucked the symbolic apple to conjure thoughts of Snow White’s plight and the garden of Eden. The pig is the very Devil himself – Lady Gwyn is often seen with a pig in tow. As for the men and boys summoning her – males are by nature drawn to the siren call of the sensuous woman… regardless of her morals. According to legend, Lady Gwyn has many personalities. I hope I captured a little of the essence of this intriguing character.
And Martin, I love your comment – especially the musicality of “specter’s perspective” – wonderful! As for those lad’s finding a headless specter attractive… surely in today’s weird world of the “new normal”, this is par for the course. To quote a line from one of my naughtiest poems, “Today the women most revered are those that have a cock and beard.”