"Warriors and Poets"

As I surf through the neopagan Internet, I find a curious phenomenon--hordes of "warriors" and damn few "poets". Now, I'm a dedicant of a warrior Goddess--the Morrigan--and there is a reason for that. Much of my personal code of conduct has to do with defending my honor at all costs. However, I consider that secondary to my work as a Bard. Seems like, especially in "Celtic" circles, which ought to somehow reflect their lineage from the culture that esteemed bardic work more than any other, there is a dearth of Bards.

Warriors on the Web--and IRL--seem to fall into two camps: the SCA/Ren Faire wannabes (often chubby, but capable of swinging a sword) and the Celtic martial artists, who seek to find a middle ground between the Eastern codes of non-violence they have been taught and a traditional Celtic culture which was quick to anger and quicker to kill.

I have one--totally sincere--question to ask: warriors, who are you fighting for? Yourself? Some perceived threatened tribe or culture? Or are you a fighter inventing a cause?

I would love some thoughts on this.

Gari Farmer wrote me with the following thoughtful response to the above:

I'm glad you brought up this particular topic, because it's something that has been bothering me for a long time. See, I've also dedicated myself to the Morrigan (a year ago this month!), and although I am in the Army, I don't consider myself a "Warrior" in the traditional sense. I am, first and foremost, a musician. My job in the band is to play music. The only thing that comes close to matching my love of music is my love of writing stories. However, the prevelent attitude here in cyberland is that in order to worship the Morrigan, you must be part of some modern-day tribe of Fianna or something, and if you aren't in good physical shape and battle-ready, you aren't fit to be on the path of the warrior. My opinion: B.S.

It has been proven over time that the pen is mightier than the sword. Why do you think tyrannical governments are so quick to shut down newspapers that print something other than the party line? Because people will read it and form their own opinion, of course. Take a look at a list of banned books. The titles seem so innocent, but they obviously make someone nervous, or they wouldn't be banned. There is power in the printed word.

Now, add music to the equation. Music can evoke all kinds of emotions - love, anger, sadness, happiness - in one short song, and that's just without lyrics.Beethoven was an angry man, and you can hear that in his 5th Symphony. But listen to his 9th, and you can sense the peace he's finally found by the end of his life. Ever experience a revolution without one good protest song? I don't think so. If you incorperate chant in your ritual, just notice how it can play you like a fiddle sometimes. The louder you become, the faster the chant goes, the more energy you raise; then, something soft to bring you back to yourself. There is power in music.

Put these two tools - music and the written word - in the hands of a skilled practitioner, and yes, you can fight battles and win. You can change the world without shedding blood.

Thanks again, Ravenbard, for putting this subject to the fore. It gave me a chance to get this off my chest!

Disagree with me about something? Agree? Want to talk about something else?