I was born from a rose bush
planted by Creiddylad – black, white and red.
My black sister is dead and my white sister is gone.
I wanted to be kind but I could not escape my thorns.
I fled from this world and wrapped myself
around the fortress of Annwn’s King.
I would not let Creiddylad in.
I wanted to be kind but I was cruel.
“It will always be winter here.
He will always wear my crown.
He will never return to gather the dead.
We will sleep together amongst His treasures for ever.”
“I planted you, I nurtured you,” Creiddylad wept,
her tears pouring down around my roots.
“Each one of your petals I made
from a tiny piece of my heart.”
“Then why am I so cruel?”
“Because there is cruelty
hidden deep within my heart –
that is why I practice kindness every day.”
“Then I can be kind too?”
“Yes.”
“Then what must I do?”
“Leave Annwn, leave my King,
return to the world to be a sanctuary
for another, who like you, has been cruel,
but longs to learn to love, to be kind, to heal.”
So I unwrapped my trestles and I threw down my thorns
and prostrated myself at Creiddylad’s feet
in my first act of kindness promising
there will be many more.
The Sanctuary of Vindos 