So as the sun now leaves the sky
And to its warmth we say goodbye
We hearken back to days of yore
To honor those that came before
The ones that shared their DNA
Whose blood and bone is in my veins
Each time I dance and breathe the air
I thank you for the gifts you shared
The love of this ancestral earth
Was yours before my recent birth
You worked the ground on which I stand
Our lives are linked through love of land
And those upon whose thoughts I lean
Who wove the magic I esteem
My heart and soul I join with yours
And thank you for the open doors
Tonight at Samhain we impart
Our gratitude and loving hearts
To those who built in every way
Our lives that we embrace today
By Karen Brockelbank
October 18, 2021
Samhain, a Gaelic word meaning “summer’s end”, was celebrated at the end of the harvest season to welcome in the darker half of the year by honoring the dead with bonfires and sacrifices in ancient Celtic times. Centuries later, these traditions and others were adopted (some might say co-opted to force Pagan cooperation by the Church) first as “All Saints Day”, “All Souls Day”, “All Hallows Eve”, and finally, “Halloween”.
When looking at the Wheel of the Year, Samhain is closer to November 6th than October 31.
