Ariadne’s Notes:  Happy International Women’s Day! A special celebration with Alara Bretanne and e-poets: Vani Pradeep, India, Ceri Naz, Philippines and Alaha Ahrar, Afghanistan , US. 

Also included were Alfonso Pretel , Spain and  Michael Collins, Australia. Super tech Victor Swartzman sang Happy Birthday to the women of the world. Missing was Craig Earqhart   who was not able to join us since he was in the hospital but we played his UCLA heart transplant song . Music by John Lennon , Susan Cogan and Craig Earqhart. Thanks to Osiris Munir.

Sharon Rowe’s story, the Great Switch a Roo was dedicated to her friend Stuart who passed away recently. 

For years we have had a special event for International Women’s Day but were not able to this year. However this radio show made up for it.   Thank you all!

 CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW !

ALARA BRETANNE

             At 15, Alara was introduced to poetry by an extraordinary English Lit. teacher from Trinidad.  Through his encouragement, one of her poems was published in the local newspaper.  While attaining her B.A., majoring  in English Lit., at Western University in London, Ontario, she was strongly influenced by the poets of the “Romantic Era” such as Blake, Byron, Shelley, Wordsworth, Coleridge and Keats. The mystical and metaphysical orientation of their writing gave Alara an expanded world vision

            Alara was involved with World Poetry, The Millenium Writers Group, and was featured as a guest poet on World Poetry’s radio station in Vancouver, BC. In 2011, upon moving to Vancouver Island, BC, she joined the Cowichan Writers Group and began writing short stories. Poetry and short stories were published in the Anthologies “One Brick Shorts” in 2013 and “Love Notes” in 2016. 

She describes the background of the poem: 

“The poem I selected to send was a “Goddess” poem to have a feminine style of prayer since much of our current religion is more masculine based, although I can see that changing.

Recently, in an on-line women’s group, a member had expressed her interest in my poem as she was having some difficulty in turning to a male God. I typed it on the Facebook page and it was quite well received. I’ve been involved in enough groups and can honestly say that these women want to get back to a more positive and sovereign form of empowered femininity that includes their sexual healing but not as ball busting feminists, although I think these brave women were very necessary in the early days of creating a path for women’s rights.”

FEMINESSENCE

(The Goddess Prayer)

My womb is bathed in golden light

Tiny stars swirling inside

Twinkling, laughing in the void

Peace, tranquility flowing through my body

Like mother’s milk

Ecstasy engorging my breasts

Nipples straining

For release, for touch

For light, for love

Body arched to give and to receive

The miracles of spirit

Born into flesh

My woman’s spirit in many guises

Soft, yielding

Hard, uncompromising

Seeker of Truth

Breast of Hope

Body of Life Eternal

ALARA BRETANNE

September 24, 1993, The Center, Kamloops. All rights reserved by the author.