This was originally written as a poem by my daughter Bess back in 2010 or 2011. She was maybe 13 or 14 I think. I still remember getting the random lines across text messages to my phone. I had sent them to a person who I was friend’s with at the time. In 2015 my daughter died by a car crash in Oregon. It’s one of the last creative things I have left of her and I don’t want it to be lost. Ever.

So, here is the poem she wrote. Followed by the song it was turned into.

A Kindred Prayer
By:  Bess XXXXX (last name redacted to protect her brothers)

To a log we set fire for the New Year to come,
For many mead pours as a blessing from some.
The drums beat in the background as the fire dances with the wind,
Invited are those from many hearth kins
Oh Shining Ones we offer a prayer

We walk with the old ones, the young and the new,
We retell their stories with mornings first dew.
The shadows hide secrets that heal our dear earth,
Our lessons we learned from their tears and their mirth
Oh Ancestors we offer a prayer

The children cheer and laugh while colored ribbons deck a pole,
Wild spirits come out to play lured from their winter holes.
To the trees they whisper, to the flowers they sing,
To the waters they tend and the life that it brings
Oh Landspirits we offer a prayer

Chorus:
Shining Ones, beside me you stay day after day never turning away.
Ancestors, in my heart you will remain until one day we meet again.
My brothers and sisters of the land, within your footsteps you let me stand.
Kindreds three you care for me, kindreds three I honor thee.

The bridge and the last chorus are meant to be song in rounds. The poem above was adjusted to song form by M. Burchfield, a bard of Three Cranes Grove, ADF at the time.

A Kindred Prayer— Song version
By: Bess XXXXX

Verse 1:
To a log we set fire for the New Year to come,
With many mead pours as a blessing for some.
Drum beats surround us as flames dance with wind,
Invited are those from the many hearth kins.

Chorus:
Oh Shining Ones, we offer a prayer
Shining Ones, beside me you stay
day after day
never turning away.

Verse 2:
As we walk with the old ones, the young and the new,
We retell their stories with morning’s first dew.
The shadows hide secrets that heal our dear earth,
Our lessons we learned from their tears and their mirth.

Chorus:
Oh Ancestors, we offer a prayer
Ancestors, in my heart you’ll remain
until one day
we meet again.

Verse 3:
The children cheer, laughing, color’d ribbons deck the poles,
Wild spirits come play, lured from their winter holes.
To the trees they whisper, to the flowers they sing,
To the waters they tend and the life that it brings

Chorus:
Oh Land Spirits, we offer a prayer.
My brothers and sisters of the land,
within your footsteps
you let me stand.

Bridge:
Kindreds three you care for me, kindreds three I honor thee.
Kindreds three you care for me, kindreds three I honor thee.
Kindreds three you care for me, kindreds three I honor thee.

Chorus: (Echo)
Oh Shining Ones, we offer a prayer.
Shining Ones, beside me you stay day after day never turning away.
Oh Ancestors, we offer a prayer.
Ancestors, in my heart you will remain until one day we meet again.
Oh Land Spirits, we offer a prayer.
My brothers and sister of the land, within your footsteps you let me stand.
Kindreds three you care for me, kindreds three I honor thee.