In fields where ancient whispers flow,  
Where wild Atlantic winds do blow,  
There lies a tale of hidden pain,  
Of women bound by unseen chain.  

From mothers’ lips to daughters’ ears,  
Passed down through silent, unshed tears,  
A shame that shadows every name,  
A secret guilt, a quiet flame.  

In village lanes and cloistered halls,  
Where ivy creeps on crumbling walls,  
They speak in tones both hushed and low,  
Of things they hope we’ll never know.  

A furtive glance, a knowing sigh,  
A question met with vague reply,  
The sins of men laid on their heads,  
Old judgments, like the leaves, still spread.  

For Mary’s tale, they dared not tell,  
Was sealed beneath the chapel bell,  
A lover’s touch, a broken vow,  
A scar that haunts the here and now.  

And Kathleen’s  child, with curls of red,  
Was whispered of, but never said,  
A scandal kept, a life concealed,  
In shadows deep, the truth is sealed.  

Oh, daughters of the Emerald Isle,  
Rise up, unburdened, for a while,  
Let not the past define your grace,  
But wear your truth upon your face.  

For shame is but a borrowed cloak,  
A relic of an ancient yoke,  
Break free, oh daughters, from this game,  
And cast aside the weight of shame.  

In lands where Gaelic songs resound,  
Where freedom’s roots run deep in ground,  
Let voices rise, let spirits soar,  
To silence shame for evermore.

Poem by Siân Williams
@satnamtherapy

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Join us in September 2024 for a series on Unravelling Shame – In this period between Lughnasadh and Samhain as we move from the light towards the darker half of the year, we invite you to join us to shine the light together into the darkness of the shame that we each carry.

We’d love it if you’d join us on this journey to unravel shame.

Contact @saoroexperience , @satnamtherapy or @michaelryan_thewayhome if you’ve questions or you’d like to get involved…