Behind the Wall (30 October 2020)

 (Second Night of Yew Month)[1]

I will meet you out behind the wall;
behind the wall, my love.
And there will I confess and tell you all;
Tell you all, my love.                                                                 1

Stranger truths than mine you’ve never heard;
never heard, my love.
For I have come to you from the Merrow’s[2] Hall_
straight from the Merrow’s Hall, my love!                                 2

Will you stand by me_ behind the wall—
behind the wall, my love?
For there I’ll press you with my stories,
tales dark and tall—
                  dark and tall, my love!                                            3

Stranger stories I know you have told me;
out behind the wall, my love—
for you are from the Cailleach Sídhe;[3]
the Cailleach Sídhe, my Love!
You are from the Place beyond the wall
_my love;
                   _the place beyond the wall!                                  4

- Montague Whitsel

 

 

 

[Originally penned September 1998, revised April 2005]

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[1] Yew Month – Ioho – the 13^th month in Celtic mysticism; the last three days of October leading up to Samhain; which was ‘New Year’s Eve’ in the ancient Celtic world.

 [2] “Merrows” – a Celtic name for ‘people of the sea’ (“mermaids” or “mermen.”)

[3] A Cailleach is a wise woman in the old Celtic tradition.  A Sidhe (here intended to be pronounced “side” not “shea”) is a place of crossing-over between this world and the World of Faery.