The Amber Seekers


From far most east we seek
rare amber of the sun
sacred amber, most precious
hauled by trade-route pilgrims
through spired an wailing cities
hawked in kif-dens by vagabonds
where dreamers lie in the smoke of oblivion

bartered in golden silk bazaars
amber necklets to protect our children
amulets of amber we carry home
to lie in barrow by bard and druid
freshly buried for their Otherworld


we left behind only fragments
wroughted silver brooches
bronze shields buried
below the earth
whimsical scraps of poetry
swords of chieftains fallen
to raw and bloody battle
and in the deathly pall
that lingers after war
rows of those
of our enemy's heads
mounted on poles in sacrifice

and great Bran's head never at rest
respectfully moved from place to place
'til final burial on the White Hill
his last insistent request

you know our rites of fertility
surrender to the greening spring
our kinship with fire
as winter season closes in
and the great flood that drove us
far from home, reluctant wayfarers
moving on, always to a different place
longing for a land unseen, unknown
but in our hearts, our Land
of Everlasting Youth
place to lay our swords in peace
and so we follow a restless yearning
forever seeking new territory
new home, always a new place.



Pamela Sidney 1998