<p>The Cailleach, the ancient goddess of Irish pagan tradition, is closely associated with nature and creation; with animals, plants and places of the wild. She particularly inhabits the world as the days shorten.</p>

<p>The poems and images in &#39;<em>Dancing in Puddles with the Cailleach&#39;</em> reflect my belief in the power of nature; reconnecting us to what really matters and to find ways of communicating and building peaceful ways of existing. I love the ancient pagan lands; their connection and closeness is palpable, even in the world of the twenty-first century.</p>

<p>As I grow older and my own days shorten, I want to explore the creativity and freedom that can come with age; to relish the energy and lack of need to conform that comes with being an older woman; to understand the potency of the &lsquo;wise woman&rsquo; which has been disregarded in our patriarchal society.&nbsp;</p>