Ancestors Oct. 31st 2012

I am the daughter of Coal Miners, of men who forsake the light and go deep into the earth, risking death by burial or black dust to harvest the Fire of Earth. The bodies of those once living, transformed by generations deep in the belly of the Mother, into black rock that burns to warm the Hearth.  I am the daughter of William Rhys.

I am the daughter of Blacksmiths, of men who by fire and sweat and muscle transform the bones of the Earth into tools that others may use to harvest the crops that feed the tribe.  I am the daughter of Jesse Merrill.

I am the daughter of Warriors, of pacifists who took up the sword to protect their children and the children of others.  Men who lost limbs and came home wounded.  I am the daughter of Henry Dudley who lost his right arm in the war and walked every spring from North-East Pennsylvania to Ohio and back again and planted Cherry Trees.

I am the daughter of Bards, of brothers who wrote songs to make hearts sing, who played music to make people dance. I am the daughter of Arthur and Louis and Stanley Merrill.

I am the daughter of Ester George, a widow who ran her boarding house like a tyrant but, raised three sons to be musicians.

I am the daughter of Ethyl Rhys Evans who picked mushrooms with me when I was two and who had hex signs and a black pot-bellied coal stove in her white kitchen.

I am the daughter of Elizabeth Merrill, beloved of her family, who played the Piano and tried to teach me to crochet.

I am the daughter of William Evans who swam the length of the lake to win the heart of his beloved Polly.

I am the daughter of the Tribe of the Wild Boar.  I am the daughter of the little dark People.  I am the daughter of this Land where I was born and have lived my entire life.

I am the daughter of the Star-Goddess and the Dark God.  I am the daughter of the Owl Goddess and the Wild Stag.  I am the daughter of the Red Dragon and the Magician.  I am the daughter of the little brown People and the Mud and the Trees.  I am the daughter of the Shadow and the Light.  I am the daughter of the Old Ones and the Dark Mother.

I am the daughter of the Lake and the Heron. I am the daughter of the Storm and the Moon.  I am the daughter of the All-Father and the Healing Well and the Cauldron of Inspiration.  I am the daughter of the Wind and the Rain. I am the daughter of Grandmother Spider and of Toads and Turtles and Cats and Foxes and Wolves and Blackbirds. I am the daughter of the Stream and the Stones.  I am the daughter of the Bear and the Void.  I am the daughter of the Children that follow.