For Bride

A traditional Gaelic verse to Bride, Who drives out the Cailleach, the Old Woman of Winter:

Chuir Bride miar ’s an abhuinn
La na Feill Bride
Is dh’ fhalbh mathair ghuir an fhuachd
Is nigh i basan anns an abhuinn
La na Feill Padruig
Is dh’ fhalbh mathair ghin an fhuachd

Bride put her finger in the river
On the Feast Day of Bride
And away went the mother who hatches the cold
And she bathed her palms in the river
On the Feast Day of Patrick
And away went the mother who breeds the cold

From the Carmina Gadelica, for the 5th annual Brighid in the Blogosphere Poetry Reading.