A Beannacht (Blessing) on Election Day

A poem by Irish poet and philosopher John O'Donohue, for holding hope wherever people cast votes this year and in coming years.

Though I live in Canada, I’ve many dear friends living in the United States where a critical election is unfolding today.

As I’m Irish, this poem came to mind today. It’s one that I read to my parents over the telephone when they celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary this autumn, both at the age of 91. I share it again here for anyone suffering and afraid. For women and everyone with a womb. For every member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. For Immigrants. For Black Lives. For Indigenous Peoples. For Earth and all the species still managing to survive and live upon it.

For anyone targeted and marginalized by hate which has been growing in communities and manifesting as judicial and governmental powers globally. We must stamp out any inkling of fascism and hate whenever and wherever we encounter it. We cannot allow the denial of human rights and the denial of the current climate crisis to win anywhere on Earth. It’s why voting matters when and wherever that freedom and right is protected.

Our hearts and thoughts are with everyone standing up today and anywhere votes are cast this year and in the coming years. Our future is at stake and governance that upholds humans, other species, and a sustainable, respectful, equitable future matters.

Waves crest upon the shores of a beach on Great Blasket Island, Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland. September 2020. Photo credit: Nancy Forde. nancyforde.com

For accessibility, I include text for the audio of the video below. The video also offers subtitles in Spanish at the YouTube URL.

Audio of video and the poem John O’Donohue wrote for Josie, his mother:

It is my hope that in these beautiful places that we have travelled through and some of the ideas and images we used, that it’s almost as though we were casting seed into the earth of the heart. And that someday when the bleakness of the storm comes, that we might be gently surprised that a tree has grown inside where we can shelter and find relief and renewal to continue our journey.

_
This is a poem called Beannacht which means ‘blessing.’

Beannacht / Blessing

On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.

And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets into you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green
and azure blue,
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.

_

John O’Donohue (1956-2008)