The Anathemata

Mabinog’s Liturgy (continued)

You who decked die Blumendame and our Blodeuedd formed.1 

Lovely Flora

how variant you are.

You can tendril and galloona 

chose queens, im Rosenhage2 

had you no hand in

this arbour

too?

But surely?

No?

then where’ s that Sibyl?

David Jones notes

1 Blodeuedd, blod-ei-eth, ei as in height, eth as in nether, accent on middle syllable. The malden contrived of meadow sweet, oak flower and broom flower in the tale of Math son of Mathonwy in the Mabinogion. From blodau, flowers.

2 Cf. the appellation Maria im Rosenhag used of pictures of our Lady in a floral setting—in the rose-arbour.

additional notes

comments

Flora has no help to offer in expaining the five buds blossoming from the Rood (one of DJ’s favourite images).

see also

semantic structures

glossary

a galloon: trim with braid, adorn.