St. Patrick's Day
Tomorrow is Mar. 17, St. Patrick's Day. A patron saint of Ireland, Patrick shares this honor with St. Brigit and St. Columba.
Irish tradition associates Patrick with spreading Christianity and with driving snakes from Ireland. Since Ireland probably never had snakes in historical times, some think that the snakes refer to Ireland's pagan religions.
"Dancing" refers to St. Patrick in the poems “I Meet Him,” and “After a Grad Students’ Meeting.”
St. Patrick's Day has also become associated with Ireland in general."Dancing" has many references to Ireland, a land associated with poetry. Further, "Dancing" explores the tension between the Christian or ascetic (the cross) and the pagan or sensual (the serpent or dragon). This dynamic is presented, for example, in the deacon/dragon symbol of the poem and in the St. Brigit/goddess Brigid symbol.
For a reference to Ireland's political tensions, see "A Bard and a Deacon."
Irish tradition associates Patrick with spreading Christianity and with driving snakes from Ireland. Since Ireland probably never had snakes in historical times, some think that the snakes refer to Ireland's pagan religions.
"Dancing" refers to St. Patrick in the poems “I Meet Him,” and “After a Grad Students’ Meeting.”
St. Patrick's Day has also become associated with Ireland in general."Dancing" has many references to Ireland, a land associated with poetry. Further, "Dancing" explores the tension between the Christian or ascetic (the cross) and the pagan or sensual (the serpent or dragon). This dynamic is presented, for example, in the deacon/dragon symbol of the poem and in the St. Brigit/goddess Brigid symbol.
For a reference to Ireland's political tensions, see "A Bard and a Deacon."
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