If there's one celebration Scotland knows how to do well, it's Hogmanay. Today it's famous for the breathtaking fireworks over Edinburgh Castle and thousands of voices joining together to sing Auld Lang Syne but the tradition reaches back much further. It started as an ancient Celtic midwinter fire festival, where they believed the use of bonfires and torchlight would chase away the darkness and welcome the new year. Modern fireworks have replaced the old hilltop flames, but the spirit of Hogmanay remains the same, it’s a night of light, hope and remembrance of those who came before us.
When oak and rowan kissed the flame,
The elder spirits softly came.
From hollow hill and standing stone,
They gathered where the fires had grown.
The torchlight wound through wind and brae,
Like serpents bright on Hogmanay.
Its amber river crowned the land,
And called the dead with lifted hand.
The Sidhe looked on through moonlit mist,
Where fire and winter softly kissed.
The ancient clans unseen drew near,
To greet another turning year.
Above the crags the castle stood,
A keeper of the old and good.
Its worn towers had watched for long
The dance of fire, the feasts and song.
Then midnight split the waiting sky,
With stars no mortal hand could tie.
The heavens flowered red and gold,
Like druid tales the bards once told.
Each rocket burned like sacred yew,
Each emerald spark the old ones knew.
The winter veil grew thin and fair,
As ghostly voices filled the air.
The old year passed in sparks and light,
Its sorrows lost within the night.
The newborn year took root in flame,
Yet every heart remained the same.
Then every soul, both lost and found,
Stood listening to the ancient sound.
Auld Lang Syne arose soft and clear,
To bless another turning year.
By Heather Patton / Verdant Butterfly
Wee Scots Glossary
(Just in case ye dinnae ken)
Brae : (bray) steep hillside
Sidhe : (Shee) fairy folk or "People of the Mounds"
Hogmanay : (HOG-muh-nay) New Year's Eve
Auld Lang Syne : (old-lang-sign) song written by Robert Burns in 1788 meaning, for old time's sake
Subscribe to Verdant Butterfly
By Heather Patton · Launched a year ago
A creative space with over 170 enchanting stories and poems. I write fantasy, folklore and genre bending prose that can step off the path into comedy, adventure or the unsettling at any moment.
Online threats are crimes — Report at tips.fbi.gov
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.