The Goddess and Her Green Man

Lord of the Greenwood

for Elaine and Vic

“Sitting on a fallen tree,
two hearts of gold smile at me …”

© Deborah Gregory 2018 – Extract taken from “The Goddess and Her Green Man” – The Shepherd’s Daughter, p. 106

“Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul there is no such thing as separation.” ~ Rumi

22 thoughts on “The Goddess and Her Green Man

  1. A most beautiful poem, dear Deborah. Excellent rhythmic transitions that accompanies the natural cycles.
    I love how the poet is introduced by the end of the poem ( a sort of shakesperian twist, somehow?).
    The poetic images are beautiful… and I particularly liked that you included “bluebirds”, as if they were the poetic messengers, linking up Heaven and Earth… Sublime, indeed. Great share <3 Sending love & best wishes

    1. Thank you so much Aquileana for your truly beautiful reply! I love that you spotted me behind the tree as the poem delivers itself, it helps me understand how writers often place themselves in their own works, hidden or sequestered away. As this poem followed on from my dream it felt most Shakespearian! In the dream Elaine was wearing a pale blue(bird) floral dress, and was Vic’s beloved bluebird! It was a really beautiful dream which I will never forget. Love & light, Deborah.

  2. I just read all the comments. Thank you, Deborah, and thanks to all who commented. I bow to everyone. On our 50th anniversary in a few days, I’ll write a letter to Vic and include Deborah’s poem. Vic and I fell in love reading poetry and poems were part of his last days. Deborah knows from my book that soon after Vic’s death, I had a dream about the Green Man with instructions that I would live in His house for a year. With Vic’s body gone, a new relationship unfolded inwardly.

    1. “Remember, kindness is all that is left in the end …” Vic told me (reiterating your own soul missive I felt) ten nights ago in a vivid dream, whilst he sang to the birds in the trees … and you, you were beside your Green Man holding hands, the Goddess’ eyes shining with love. As a poet, I awoke from this golden image, sat in the garden (or maybe I took myself back to the dream garden?) with many a poet (bird) singing, while May’s heartfelt verse flew down.

      My dear friend, you’ve helped me more than you could ever know with your wonderfully wise, healing words of love and light. For as I continue to heal, my words and images are becoming beautiful and uplifting! I’m deeply honoured that you will be including my poem with your 50th anniversary letter. Together you gift me a divine (inner marriage) image, with you & Vic (The Goddess and Her Green Man) sitting together on your numinous tree trunk.

      Thank you Elaine for writing your story! Thank you for sharing your spiritual journey that began in darkness and moved through to a gorgeous golden light! Your loving, kind-hearted words are full of power, grace, strength and hope. “Leaning Into Love” is a truly amazing book; powerfully written and awe-inspiring! Pure gold, and a divine inspiration for the rest of us! Long may your relationship with the archetypal Green Man evolve. In soul, Deborah.

  3. The opposites.. life and death, masculine and feminine, green and gold all join in nature’s nuptials….. while you sing and dream gorgeous poetries on love. Sing on dear poet! Dream on dear poet!

    1. Ahh, surely you’re a poet to respond in such a whole-hearted way?! That’s beautiful, thank you so much lisabeth for sharing your rich reflections. Yes, many opposites are embraced within this (dream inspired) verse! Green for the beginning, the return of spring, and gold for the ripening, the autumn of our years, and love. Blessings always, Deborah.

        1. Hmm, that Hungry Fox! Well, thank you so much lisabeth for making the trip, much appreciated.

  4. Channelling the Bard eh!!! This is excellent work dear poet! The thing we love best about you Deborah is your loving kindness, everybody saw it when you were there — in the other place. Not a day went by without this hungry fox discovering more of your love-ly words left under the hedgerows. Hey! First time I’ve seen you rhyme – will we be seeing more? HF

    1. Thank you so much Henry for your wonderful visit and kind-hearted comment. Ha-Ha! You’re still fox(y) by name, and fox(y) by nature! Still, it’s always a treat to find you here scavenging in my hedgerows! No, rhyming words is not my usual style, not since my teenage years … however in this form “the rhyming suits romantic young love—a song, a dance, a circle of beating hearts.” (Elaine’s words) I hope the day finds you well dear poet, blessings always, Deborah.

  5. Deborah, this is such a wonderfully woven poem and a change of writing style for you, yet so appropriately used, as the rhyming, for me, suggests a love-filled spring in the step of these soulmates, Elaine and Vic. Your words shine in such a beautiful tribute to the deep, everlasting love of these twin flames – to borrow Rumi’s words, this has so clearly been written with your full heart and soul. Thank you!

    1. Your reply comes to me in the form of a poem itself! Wow, thank you so much Sophia for your most generous response! If you’re interested in discovering more about Elaine and Vic’s beautiful love story, I can highly recommend Elaine Mansfield’s soul-making book, “Leaning Into Love: A Spiritual Journey Through Grief.” I’ve posted a link (in my reply to Elaine) to Amazon UK where you can purchase a copy, and there read the numerous (and numinous!) five star reviews of this incredible book … all so richly deserved! Rumi holds my heart, forever. Warm and wild blessings, Deborah.

      1. I can imagine the Goddess and her Green Man sitting on the image you’ve used – very well chosen! Thinking about Lisabeth’s comment its interesting really because life and death sit so well together – they’re intertwined. You have to have life to have death and in death there is rebirth, very different to the image of death we first imagine.

        1. In my dream Elaine and Vic were sitting together on a beautiful, fallen tree trunk. I love what you say about life and death being, “happy companions” … yes, that’s so different to how we often experience them … yet in my dream they were so happy to be together, they radiated with love! Thank you for coming back and gifting me this reflection this morning.

  6. I’m often the last to comment, as you know, but not this time, Deborah. Thank you. My heart quakes. May 22 will be our 50th Wedding Anniversary, but I’ll celebrate alone. We spent our 40th in the hospital. He was so ill, but drank in the love poems I read to him. We had our favorites about love and saying goodbye. This morning, now afternoon, I’ve read your poem many times–and each time I weep. Healing loving grateful tears.

    I thought I’d write an anniversary letter to Vic. It will include your poem. We didn’t know much about the Green Man when Vic was alive. I knew GM as a face on a garden gate, but then he appeared in full green embodiment in a dream 8 days after Vic’s death. The outer human had become an inner guiding archetype and I’m still learning the lessons. Vic was indeed my Green Man in this life, a woodsman, lover of trees and wise words. I’m deeply moved by the yellow ribbon since I made my own pale yellow wedding dress and wore a yellow ribbon in my hair that May day so long ago. More tears. Thank you, my poetess friend, for the sweetest gift of all.

    I feel the Goddess leaning in. It’s not too late to dance.

    1. I’m over the moon that you adore this poem Elaine, it’s more than I ever hoped for! Thank you so much for your kind-hearted, compassionate words. Early this morning, whilst sitting in my garden, the poem literally fell into my lap while the birds were singing with joy … and this poet was dancing in words. As you know I’m not into rhyming lines but who can argue with the muses when they come-a-calling?! What beautiful, breath-taking pictures you paint in words, of how Vic drank in the love poems as you read them to him.

      Rereading your book, Leaning Into Love this past week has been incredible! And as you know, for the first time ever I dreamt of you and Vic, and I’m sure your book, the dream and the poem are deeply connected in many ways. Although I’d previously read about your yellow ribbon, when I was penning this poem I had no memory of it at all … in fact, I wanted to write you were wearing a light blue and floral dress (as you were in my dream), but “something” stopped me and guided me towards pale yellow … there are no words!

      How beautiful that you will write Vic a “golden” letter! I’m deeply humbled to hear my poem is worthy of inclusion. Tears come, let them fall! Vic is your Green Man, lover of woods and wise words! The photo of him peeking out from the leaves is wonderful, it speaks of loving mischief, deep joy and a strong sense of love and belonging. What an inspiration he must be to his sons! No, it’s never too late to dance with the Goddess. In pure synchronicity, I will be celebrating my own wedding anniversary on 25th May. Warm and wild blessings, Deborah.

  7. Colour and more colour! Glittering greens and golds, from your Goddess pen Deborah for Elaine and Vic and its plaintive goodbye .. this is so rich with it blues, birds and boldness, trees and plants, love shining through all. Rumi’s words, like yours, pierce me. Thank you –

    1. Thank you so much Susan for your beautiful, painterly words! From green to gold we follow nature’s incredible palette as the wheel of the year turns. As Elaine approaches her golden 50th wedding anniversary in the coming weeks, I wanted to write and dedicate in verse, the beautiful, eternal love between the Goddess and her beloved Green Man. Warm and wild blessings, Deborah.

  8. Deborah, this is gorgeous poetry, though I didn’t know you wrote rhyme?? My mum and I still miss dad very much, 16 years on. She celebrates her wedding anniversary because.. Rumi’s words say it all really. Beautiful work. All the best, Anna

    1. Thank you so much Anna for your wonderful reply to this, my dedicated poem to a dear friend. I’m sorry to hear that your father died early in life, you must’ve been only a young woman at the time. Rumi’s words are beyond beautiful, he inspires to write, again and again and again! No, rhyming is not my usual thing (as you’ve probably guessed!) but who can argue with a “channelling” muse?! Warm and wild blessings, Deborah.

      1. Sorry, I felt too sad to answer yesterday. I have ordered Elaine Mansfield’s book for mum. Thank you for your kind words Deborah.

        1. There’s absolutely no need to explain, I understand. Elaine’s book is just incredible! I have a feeling (you and) your mum will enjoy her beautiful, compassionate, healing journey.

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