Craobh

Birch is for new beginnings. Birch is the nursery tree Birch celebrates sweet Beltane Source of fertility Birch came after the ice-age Birch thrashed unruly boys Birch made witches' besoms And baskets, shoes, and toys Birch made dye bright yellow Birch sap cured cystitis Birch soothed acne, eczema Rheumatics and arthritis. Rowan's the wood enchantress. It grows where others dwindle Protectoress agin evil For making wheel and spindle Rowan's a powerful potion It was struck through a corpse's heart Druids used it to raise fierce spirits It kept dead and living apart Oak is the Lord of the Woods Gives acorns, charcoal, tanning Built crannogs. roof beams, frames Healed wounds,sores, and cured vomiting Druids wore crowns of oak leaves Like Cernunnos, the horned tree Acorns bring luck and courage Oaks aided prophecy The pine, Caledonian forest, Our native conifer tree Is hostto pine martin and squirrel Cross bill and the capercaillie The pine can live6 centuries 100 per cent pure Scots Made paper pulp and chipboard Telephone poles,pit props Pine resin gives us varnish, Paint, and tar, and needles Its resin waxes violins Antiseptic stops the wheezles It is the tree of heroes Laid upon heroes' graves It makes the sound of lovemaking When branches sway like waves Willow is used for baskets, Creels, eel traps, ropes and bridles Fencing, gates, and coffins, Beehives, sticks, bats, and whistles Willow makes wands and coracles Cures warts, it causes visions Symbol of inspiration Gives flutes for young musicians Yew is the tree of ages 5,000 years, a sage Ice-man carried a bow of its wood It grows by many a grave Yew guards the door between the worlds To life beyond the lair Its roots grow down through bodies Releasing souls to air