Hail Lupercal!
O hail the Wolf,
In all Her many guise!
The Tearing One,
Who fills the dark,
The Mother of everything!

Hail Lupercal!
O hail the Wolf,
Hail the Wild One!
Hail Her Get,
Hail Her Twins,
The Dancers of the Dark!

Hail Lupercal!
O hail the Wolf,
Hail the Hooded Three!
Hail fair Spinner,
Hail sly Weaver,
Hail the dreaded Cutter now!

Hail Lupercal!
O hail the Wolf,
And hail the Keeper Four,
White Fame and Red,
Green Flame and Blue,
Hail the mighty blowing Winds!

Hail Lupercal!
Oh hail the Wolf,
Hail the Goat and Wolf in one!
Lupercalia,
The feast each year,
An offering to God Herself!

~Hail Lupercal! a poem of Lupercalia by Bethany "Lorekeeper" Davis, February 18, 2017

The mists that part,
  By Bride's Day light,
Are mists between the worlds,
They open wide,
  The gates of night,
And allow things to pass both ways,
What died before,
  Comes forth once more,
The serpent's wings are spread,
On Hallow's Eve,
  That sacrifice,
Begins the year again,
Forth from the well,
  Between the worlds,
Scaled form returns once more,
A new year dawns,
  In dark moon light,
And all begins once more,
Upon her forge,
  New year is wrought,
By hammer and by flame,
The raven's call,
  The hope of all,
As she forges the year again,
Now the births,
  In springtime snows,
In cold and solemn moons,
Keeper of Ways,
  Builder of Paths,
Takes now the regency,
Misrule is done,
  That tide is turned,
Bride's Time has come again,
The Trouble Moon,
  It parts and passes,
The Lost Moon begins again.
And awakened now,
  The serpent old,
Begins a journey home,
As they open wide,
  The gates of night,
And allow things to pass both ways,
For the mists that part,
  By Bride's Day light,
Are mists between the worlds.
~Mists Between the Worlds, a Candlemas poem by Lorekeeper, February 3, 2017

You take your throne as winter comes,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Secrets rest as the Dead rise up,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
We the Lost who few can see,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
We hear your call of winter winds,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
A fire lit that once was cold,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
On winter winds you find your own,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The year grows nigh as time does stop,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The time has come for cold Misrule,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The Gates of Life and Gates of Death,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Flutter open to part the Veil,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Speak to me, oh cold Cold One,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Whom once rode forth all teeth and eyes,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Your time has come, the dice are cast,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Coils of ice and coils of snow,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The Serpent form among the trees,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The moving sway of Serpent hips,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The Ice Queen sits as Hallow's Eve,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Finds its way to All Hallow's,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The Regent sits high in the North,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
And know her time has come again,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Hail to you Keeper of the Lost,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Hail to you who brings the tears,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The pale Blue Flame of Winter's Night,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
We know your face and Serpent's Tongue,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The cold Black Altar in the Hall of Stone,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The Cutter there before the Black Gates,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Her Black Knife raised to cut the threads,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
And Death's wings spread beside the Gates,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
To guide the Living and the Dead,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
For now the Veil is open wide,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The Gates are open and swing both ways,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The Mighty Dead we praise tonight,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The Blessed Dead we call your names,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The pulsing call of Bloodline blood,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The pulsing call of Loreline blood,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The pulsing call of Fateline blood,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Blood does call, it calls to Blood,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Bones do wake and speak once more,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Memory sleeps in sleeping Bones,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
And Blood awakens the sleeping Bones,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
And quickens now what once was dead,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
On altar top and in the Halls,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
We call you now to come to us,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
To breathe again the breath we breathe,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
And speak this night and speak again,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
And as the Darkness now recedes,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
The Darkling Twin awaits the Bright,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Misrule reigns and all is Öð,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Öð and odd, and Wyrd and weird,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
And may the Hunt now pass us by,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Or may we ride the frightful ride,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
By Winter's Night and crossroad light,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
And ghost roads stretch into the night,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
And troll roads strange and faerie roads,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
That lead out there between the worlds,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Guide our way with lantern bright,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
We are the Lost, you children tonight,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Toss your dice for us just right,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
And may the year we now head to,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
Find the dreams the Dreamer dreamed,
Hail, oh, Builder of Storms,
This year manifest this next.

~Hail, oh, Builder of Storms, a Hallow poem by Bethany "Lorekeeper" Davis, November 1, 2015

Through the darkness I part the Veil,
And walk the hidden paths,
In the brightness beyond the pale,
I see what none have seen.
There's danger here in the world beyond,
In the gleam beyond the gloom.

And all my days it waits for me,
The calling in my blood,
And through the years I walk the paths,
That very few have seen,
The Veil grows thin as years go by,
In the gleam beyond the gloom.

Through the darkness I return again,
From those fair hidden paths,
And as I walk I learn to talk,
Like I once knew I could,
For few have been beyond the veil,
In the gleam beyond the gloom.

~In the Gleam Beyond the Gloom by Bethany "Lorekeeper" Davis, March 5, 2015


My attempt at translating it into Latin:

Velum parte post umbram,
Et ambulate per semitae occultae,
In splendóribus supra pallidus,
Non video quid viderim.
Non est hic mundus extra periculum,
In splendóribus post umbram.

Et omnibus diebus meis memet maneat
Vocatio in sanguine meo,
Et per annos ambulate semitae,
Valde pauci, quas vidi,
Velum crescit tenuis quod eunt anni,
In splendóribus post umbram.

Per tenebras revertentur
Ex his latet semitas occultae,
Et ego ambulo illis loquela,
Scientes semel ego potui,
Pauci abierunt trans velum,
In splendóribus post umbram.


And a translation of that Latin from an academic translation site:

And the hanging for the part after the shadow,
And walk by the ways of the hidden God,
In the brightness of beyond the pale,
I do not see what I saw,
He is not here the world is out of danger,
In the brightness after the shadow.

The call waits for me,
In my blood, and all my days,
And I will walk you through the years, the highways,
Very few men, that I have seen,
As the years go by the thin veil of the increases,
In the brightness after the shadow.

From these things it is hidden by the darkness,
They shall come again the paths of the hidden God,
And I, I walk the angels have speech,
Yet knowing that once I was able to,
They went to the other side of the veil of the few,
In the brightness after the shadow.

I stand beneath the starstrone sky,
In the darkness of the night,
A lonely hill, grey in the dark,
A darkness you can feel.

The stars the spin, they move around,
Before my wondering eyes,
Stars not fixed but thought to be,
Stars like dancing fire flies.

And spin they do, but all return,
To their course across the sky,
These pin ****** move yet stay quite still,
In the darkness of the night.

No wonder all the ancient times,
Spirits and gods they were,
Always present, always watching,
But never holding still.

Ancient secrets painted plain,
Above for all to see,
Yet few do see and less do know,
The secrets painted there.

The singing song, the lonely dance,
Of the stars in darkest night,
The tales they know, the things they’ve seen,
And no one knows it all.

Here I stand, they dance around,
I see the sacred plan,
The whirling castle, the Well of Stars,
And all that is drawn to them.

I stand beneath the starstrone sky,
In the darkness of the night,
A lonely hill, grey in the dark,
A darkness you can feel.

~Bethany "Lorekeeper" Davis, September 25, 2014

I am the raven,
I eat the dead,
I am the raven,
I remember all things,
I am the raven,
I build all,
I am the raven,
I know all things.

I am the otter,
In rivers and creeks I swim,
I am the otter,
I eat and I play,
I am the otter,
On slopes I slide,
Joy is mine,
In the mountain streams,
I own the rivers,
I feed on their fish.

I am the snake,
The serpent I am,
Between and through move I,
On belly I crawl,
Gold are my scales,
Glacier blue and silver,
All colours they change,
First one then the other,
I taste the air with my tongue,
Through my belly,
I listen to all,
Far craftier than all,
The beast of the field am I.

I am the fox,
The vixon am I,
Crafty and wise,
And hard to catch,
In the ground I live,
Cross the fields I race,
Quick and fast,
I take what I want,
Nothing is safe,
If it I desire,
A vixon am I,
Fleet foot and large tail,
Back and forth it moves,
Grace and escasy,
All come to me,
All I desire.

I am hawk,
I soar and I fly,
Above the plains,
All things I see,
None see what I see,
From up above,
Down I soar,
To **** and eat,
Still on a wire,
Or on a fence,
I know when to wait,
I know when it's time,
When prey is in sight,
Not a second to lose.

I am the vole,
Who lives in the field,
Down in the earth,
I burrow and dig,
Across the field,
All seeds are mine,
To eat and enjoy,
From dusk until dawn,
Timid and cautious,
I look to the sky,
I cannot fight,
I'm weak and I'm small,
But many am I,
And many more come,
And still we will be,
When all you are gone.

I am the owl,
Silent and still,
You know not I passed,
Only my wind,
Silent end deadly,
Queen of the night,
I will consume,
Whatever I catch.

I am the horse,
Across the plains do I run,
Swifter than all,
The one none can catch,
I run like the wind,
For we are one kind,
My mane and my tail,
Like banners and flags,
Nothing can stop us,
Nothing can try,
For we're always moving,
The fast wind and I.

I am the trout,
See how my scales glisten,
I am the trout,
At home in the water,
I swim and I breathe,
What causes others to drown,
I listen to the water,
The rivers, the creeks, the lakes,
The secrets I know,
No others can know.

I am the eagle,
High, high I soar,
Queen of the high places,
All others beneath,
What is not prey,
I care not at all,
I and I only,
See what I see.

But above all tonight,
The fox and vixon am I,
****** and sensual,
Grace and desire,
In the land where the sun sets,
This land that is dusk,
I am all ***,
The kiss of the dead,
The dusk sets like dust,
It powders my fur,
In the night do I hunt,
In the night do I *****,
My fur is desire,
My tail moves and calls,
I walk here as ***,
All come to my call.

~I Am the Fox by Lorekeeper, June 7, 2014

Four guardians sit at the gates of worlds,
Who know far more than they know,
Some sit, some stand, some rest beneath,
Their past are lost in the mist.

There is one who rests in the cold north wind,
Who was once a giantess of renown,
No name we know or when she was born,
But she was ancient ere man was born.

There is one who stands in the wind of the east,
Where the rainbow bridge does rest,
A horn to blow, a sword to swing,
And his parents do no one know.

There is one who stands in the hot south wind,
On the edge of the fiery plains,
Wait he does for the end of time,
When he'll march with a fire storm.

There is one who sits by a well, in the western wind,
Three daughters he had, three wells once known,
Nine mothers are known but a father has none,
And his sons shall be well known.

Down the Helway some will come,
To call of the cold north wind,
To rise from the grave and tell the old tell,
Of what will someday come.

The shining one at the rainbow bright,
The east wind does stand guard,
Before the bright city a city or brass,
Where they drink and laugh and flirt.

On the southern plains where fire rages,
And all the plains are ablaze,
the hot south with with a sword in hand,
Waits for the sun to set.

Heads will roll and then speak again,
With the voice of the wise west wind,
A sip from the well that will cost you an eye,
On the edge of the cold ice plain.

Four winds are blowing and will come again,
For compass will ever turn,
Their pasts are obscure and their futures ignored,
And few are there left you see.

Four guardians sit at the gates of worlds,
Who know far more than they know,
Some sit, some stand, some rest beneath,
Their past are lost in the mist.

~Muninn's Kiss, February 21, 2014

I sit here, watching the sunrise fade to night,
Remembering, forgetting, remembering,
Remembering my childhood in the twilight of the gods,
The Destroyer raging across the land,
Remembering my teenage years in afternoon of the world,
As the glory of man faded, threatening to go out,
Remembering my early adult years in at high noon,
When man's empires spanned the world,
Rising and falling and rising again,
I remember by middle years in the morning of the world,
As man learned to walk, to run, to farm,
And here I sit an old man, as the sunrise fades to night,
Remembering, forgetting, remembering,
The evening darkness lit as the sun sank and dusk came,
Brighter and hotter it got, as high noon approached,
And colder again as the sun rose from dawn,
Bringing me back here, to the first light, fading to night,
The cold winter warming as leaves rose to the trees,
Then turned from brown to yellow to green,
The crops fading from golden to bright green,
As they grew downward back toward the ground,
And the summer heat fading into spring,
The plants shrinking to buds, then sprouts, then barren ground,
As spring fades now back into winter,
As I sit, watching the sunrise fade to night,
Remembering, forgetting, remembering.
~Muninn's Kiss, January 21, 2014, with a nod to T.H. White and Luke Bryan

I was Crom Dubh once,
Buried in the mound,
I was the Dagda once,
My club across the land,
I was Bran the Blessed once,
My head beneath the hill,
I was Kronos once,
My stone sickle in the sky,
I was Osiris once,
My body across the land,
I was Odin once,
Ygg was I once,
Ere that I was Thund,
Who am I?
~Muninn's Kiss, January, 4, 2014

I hap'ed to meet Death once,
Along the Shining road,
I was going up it,
And he back down again,
Top o' the mornin' to ya,
I cheerfully put forth,
And the rest of the day to thee,
Came his grim reply,
I asked him how his business went,
If it was going well,
He answered it was booming,
Almost too much for him to do,
He asked me about the gleaming courts,
And if life there was good,
And answered as good as ever,
Though few notice none,
We chatted a bit and gossiped,
Shared a drink of whiskey strong,
Then both went on upon our ways,
Him down and me on up.
~Muninn's Kiss, January 2, 2014

In the darkness, something moves,
A thing of horns and teeth,
Our dreams, our fears, the things we know,
But try hard to forget,
It stalks the night in Winter's chill,
It goes from house to house,
It knows the secret fears and dreams,
It knows what we try to hide,
It knows when we are sleeping,
It knows when we're awake,
It knows knows if we've been good or bad,
And feeds our secret fears,
Black hooves in snow it treads upon,
Black wool of grease and oil,
Horns stand out like a wicked crown,
And teeth a wicked grin,
In the darkness, something moves,
A thing of horns and teeth,
Our dreams, our fears, the things we know,
But try hard to forget.
~Muninn's Kiss, December 29, 2013

Across the hills,
The Serpent's tongue,
The echo of the deep,
Like thunder shaking,
And lightning striking,
The power of the storm,
Her voice it calls,
Across the hills,
Answering my call,
A voice to fear,
Sheer power's voice,
All across the hills.

There are few places,
Sweet Sumner Maiden,
Where I Feel you half as much.

Soft light of fading dusk,
Reflecting off gentle waves,
Of the deep dark well of the lake.

I call to you, Sweet Nimue,
The gentle waves rippling,
Like your hair in a gentle breeze.

I call to you, Sweet Maiden,
The fiery sunset blazing,
Like the gold and fire of your hair.

I call to you, Sweet Nimue,
The deep water, black and quiet,
Like the dark depths of your secrets.

I call to you, Sweet Maiden,
The gentle breeze across water,
Your soft breath on my skin.

I call to you, Sweet Nimue,
The waters so gentle I see a sword,
Raised up by your hand, O Lady of the Lake.

I call to you, Sweet Maiden,
Send your wind,
Rising across the water,
A soft breeze,
A mighty gale,
Raise the wind,
My sweet Nimue,
Lady of the Lake,
Corn Maiden,
Bringer of Wind,
Consuming fire,
The wind across your lake,
The power of your joy,
The power of your anger.

I call to you, Sweet Nimue,
Sweet Maiden,
My Lady of the Lake.

If I were to die in battle,
Who would invite me home?
Would it be Odin or would it be Freyja,
Whose hall I'd be taken to?

Would Odin want me,
Would I make the cut?
Am I the type he'd want,
To be fighting by his side?

Would Freyja have me,
Would I feast in her halls?
Would she find me worthy,
To lend her my sword?

The two they stand together,
Ready to make the choice,
Him with his initiator,
Her initiator with her.

As the Valkyries fly me closer,
I can't help but think,
Is it them that make the decision,
Or was it always my choice.

Summer's heat has come again,
And with it a growing womb.
The union formed of May's young flowers,
Begins to start to show.
The risen lord's seed runs strong,
The laughing queen was ripe.
In summer's heat, her sweat is sweat,
The warmth that forms within.
She smiles sweetly in Solstice sun,
Spring's rain fades away.
The white veil gone, her golden hair,
Darkens to chestnut brown.
New moon's time, a darkened moon,
A bonfire burning high.
The dancers dance, round and round,
A fever burning high.
The Horned King sits close by her side,
His smile as big as hers.
The summer sun it rises bright,
Round like her growing womb.
The moon moves on and starts to grow,
Just like her unborn Child.
Summer's heat has come again,
And with it a growing womb.
The womb will grow to harvest time,
The Child that will be born.
From blessed womb and serpent's seed,
The Mother of all life.

Around the Altar, the roses lay,
Blood red pedals and black of night,
A black stone Altar, absorbing light,
Dark stone tower, a hollow cave,
Upon the Altar, they laid me down,
In black, black robes my hands are tied,
Head laid back, stretched out flat,
Two coins are placed upon my eyes,
Beneath the gold, in shadows black,
The Twins they dance and in my laugh,
She stands above me, her robes jet black,
Her veil of red so loosely hangs,
A dagger black she raises high,
Blackthorn rod it passes forth,
Down and down comes the blade,
My life it passed but was long long gone,
Upon the Altar where they had me lie,
Among the roses both black and red.

A forked tongue is in the East,
She sings to my in the early Dawn,
Of the Sun's how Fire and the morning Dew,
Of red, red Rock and a howling Gale.

Her Mountains rounded, the sweetest *******,
Her water hidden down in the Cress,
Her light is blinding, the morning Sun,
Her hair is tossed in a howling Gale.

In the West a straight tongue sleeps,
He rises late and strongly grows,
His Mountains sharp of granite strong,
His voice a roaring, howling Gale.

His hair is Lodgepole, growing strong,
His shoulders sharp and granite strong,
From among him strong rivers flow,
And from his mouth, a howling Gale.

For Power flows from West to East,
A howling Gale that never stops,
Over Mountains and across prairie wide,
And back to Mountains, his morning Bride.

There is a union, where West meets East,
A copulation, a uniting Power,
In the valley, the very core,
Where Power blossoms forevermore.

And there is sits, the seat of Power,
Where West meets East down in the bower,
Where Northern Cold and Southern Heat,
Come together in the howling Gale.

The barron earth seems barron still,
The snow is gone but green lost still,
But on the Aspens, the catkins grow,
The male, the female, each in the wind,
The grow and grow and ask to be seen,
A sign of life in a barron land,
The males they dangle, the females *****,
A source of life, before the leaves,
Winter's gone and Spring has rose,
The Aspen Moon approaches full,
A few small leaves upon the ground,
A strawberry, a flower, some blades of grass,
As the Apsen Moon begins to wain,
Fast rushes Springtime just like the Bull,
The catkins promise, the leaves fulfill,
New life, new living, the Aspen Moon.

Each bud opens to meet the sun,
An ancient dance renewed again,
Under Flower's Moon and Dancing Twins,
Each flower opens, bright and full,
Yellows, whites, purples, blues,
Each standing out, each calling forth.
The fields of green, the brilliant leaves,
The water clear, the building clouds,
All has risen, all has rose,
All is growing, none still waits,
The world is full, the May Queen wed,
The Flower Moon wanes from full.

Calm moving sounds of rustling leaves,
Aspen trees in Spring's strong winds,
They calm be, call me, bring me peace,
They only ask for me to sit for a bit,
Closed eyes and warn sun's kiss,
Sitting quietly lost in thought,
The Aspen's song the only sound,
A smile it plays across my lips,
My soul at rest, my soul at peace,
A sanctuary older than any church,
A grove of power, a grove of love,
Apart from all I sit so still,
But one with every leaf and twig,
Forever lost, forever found,
The Aspen's call, the Aspen's Song.

Rustles and whispers in the wind,
Speak of secrets lost long ago,
Of power and might and holy fire,
Of crafting and training and hidden light,
Of creation, destruction, and all between,
The Aspen's rustle, the secret call,
All the secrets of the world,
Of Sun and Moon and Stars above,
Of Earth and Sky and Chthonic depths,
Of Sea and Mountains and Plains between,
Of Trees and Rocks and all the Beasts,
Of Iron and Copper and Stone and Wood,
Of all the secrets known to man,
And all that's lost beyond the pall,
What's known and forgotten and known once more,
Whispers to me in the moving leaves,
And all that is and all that was,
And all that could forever be,
Is there to hear by the truest heart,
Rustles and whispers in the wind.

Wind rushing,
A mighty roar,
But silent as the grave.

No sound itself,
No sight itself,
Only movement.

But Aspen leaves,
And Aspen groves,
Moving, rustling,
Whispering, talking.

Each leaf a single voice,
Each branch a quiet chorus,
Each tree a mighty legion.

The grove a roaring,
Rushing, soaring,
Loud yet stilling,
Calm and peace.

Constant movement,
Loud but softly,
The Aspens lull me,
To my rest.

The leaves are coming, slowly budding,
The Aspen catkins are long past gone,
But on each willow branch buds are forming,
***** willows stand and face the dawn.

A world reborn, each day grows older,
A thousand branches each reborn,
The willows wait in pools of water,
On banks and marshes, low but full.

The barren winter is long past gone,
New life that started from the thaw,
Each branch, each tip, each growing twig,
The ***** willow cotton has come again.

The Aspen Moon has fled the world,
The Willow full and full of life,
Soon it will go as all moons do,
And the Willow Moon a lost memory.

The wakened sleeper clothed in gold,
Warmed with Spring and rising sun,
Drapped in green and newborn leaf,
Who once had died but rose again.

Golden scales and raven hair,
Skin of blue and feathers fair,
Who began a journey by candler's flame,
And rose in glory in first leaf's show.

In comes his Bride the fair Corn Maid,
Whose blackened veil now glowing white,
Grass stains on her small bare feet,
And bloodied sword upon her back.

The dancers dance and singers sing,
Risen lord and laughing queen,
The snow has melted and green grows strong,
Winter then Spring give way to sun.

Veil of white over golden hair,
A cotton dress with playful tears,
Small feet dance as if on air,
She laughs in joy at his peacock flair.

Round they spin just like the year,
Celebrating life and new found love,
Love reborn from past the grave,
Youth and Maiden, lust and joy.

The time has come to start again,
A marriage feast and strong bond hands,
New life, new love, all is born,
Eternal love, past Death's cold hand.

Around the pole the ribbons fly,
Dancing round in lustful fun,
In honor to the fair Corn Maid,
And Peacock Lord reborn again.

Oh, sweet lover,
How I adore you,
Yet how I dread you.

The lose of you,
Would be my death,
I need you more than life.

We dance around,
The dance of life,
You warn and I ignore.

But sometimes dear,
I heed your call,
And that is why I live.

A heart black veil,
Quickly she dances,
First born,
An ancient youth,
Twirling round,
A black veil spining,
Playful dances,
Spinning youth.

A pure white veil,
Now she's walking,
Second born,
But mother of all,
Hand in hand,
Her consort-lover,
*** and love,
and marriage vows.

A blood red veil,
Now she's standing,
Third born,
And oldest still,
All is done,
But none is finished,
Knife in hand,
The altar bare.

Two months he swam,
Up through the well,
His scales flashing in the dark.

Twisting, turning,
Swimming, soaring,
Through the Veil of Worlds.

Into the light,
He pokes his head,
Sun flashing of his scales.

Reborn at least,
After Winter's grave,
Reborn from down below.

Two months ago,
He heard the call,
His Bride invoked his name.

And now he rises,
From the grave,
To live and love again.

Heat of sun,
In Spring's cold wind,
Coiled on a rock.

Prepare he does,
For May's fine feast,
And Marriage to his Bride.

At the centre of the web the spider sat,
And felt the wind blow by.
Each gust, each gale, rocked her web,
And she sat calmly by.
Each strand went out from where she sat,
She knew where each one went.
One for Fate and two for Time,
And three for everyone.
When each one spoke, when each one sang,
She knew from hence it came.
She listened calmly to the wind,
And listened to each strand.
Those that taught and those that learned,
And those that truly saw.
The web is many strands she knew,
But knew the web was one.
And the expanse of web around,
Began with just one thread.

I stand alone at the Gates of Dusk,
A fire blazing in the sky.
The trees are shadows, the clouds they glow,
The water reflects the light.
A sun half down but still half up,
Dying but still alive.
A time of change, a liminal time,
A time that is between.
She stand before me and opens the Gates,
The oldest but latest born.
She beacons forward to follow the sun,
Down to its lonely grave.
Alone I stand with only her,
The enticing and love Dusk.
But back I step from that fair breach,
And turn my eyes to home.

As the metal hare settles to sleep,
The water dragon stretches and stirs,
The world serpent around the world,
A curled serpent in a cave,
Slowly stirring, his coils spread,
In the underworld he's made his nest,
And waited through the coldest time,
Darkling serpent, shining snake,
His head he raises and starts to move,
Crawling forth on fair Bride's day,
Up the Well of Worlds he comes,
Across the Veil from world to world,
He hears the call of a thousand flames,
Candles lit and fires bright,
The heat, the light, it calls him forth,
Through deepest dark and waters cold,
Up he crawls, reborn from death,
Cthonic darkling, to worlds above,
Ravens dance the dance of death,
And flames the flicker, the spark of life,
The Bride she calls, the serpent comes,
Reborn and new, the strange Horned Child,
And a ring around the moon.

She is not a spotless ******
not a flawless bride
not without blemish
not young and in her prime.

Her scars are like canyons cut in her skin
the Grand Canyon
Zion Canyon
the Marianas Trench.

Her skin it ripples with stretch marks
like hills rising and falling
ridges and valleys
from the moment of plates.

In her sickness a fever rages
like wildfires and forest fires
grass fires and oil fires
burning away the sickness bringing new life.

She hasn’t shaved and seldom does
hair standing up on her skin
like trees and bushes and shrubs
uneven all different covering her skin.

Blood and **** bubble up from her skin
blood spewing forth like lava
flowing down the mountains of Hawaii
**** shooting forth like ash covering the land.

She is not spotless not flawless not young
but the scars of her age show her beauty
each scar a work of art adding to her perfection
Would we have the Earth any other way?

Darkest night and shortest day,
Shadows reign and darkness calls,
The shadowy figure of Death stands by,
Patiently waiting for all to fall.

Each child born will surly die,
None is spared and all know why,
At Death’s bone throne each one will come,
He needn’t search for all will come.

The sun sets earlier for half the year,
Night grows longer, shadows strive,
The year he ages as do all,
Growing weaker, growing frail.

The time draws near when he will die,
The year we’ve loved so hard to watch,
The mourners all do gather round,
For letting go is the hardest task.

With the sun, the year does set,
Sinking down into the grave,
Like each man, he bows his knee,
And presents himself at the throne of bone.

In his birth we knew he’d die,
For every beginning contains the end,
We watched him grow like a new born lamb,
We watch him die at the Slaughterer’s hand.

Every beginning has it’s end,
But every ending is born again,
With Dawn’s first light like the Morning Star,
The new year rises and live once more.

Fresh and hopeful, full of life,
The year reborn begins his flight,
We watch him stretch and try his wings,
We glory that he lives again.

Forgetting the grief and sorrow past,
We pretend he didn’t see Death’s own face,
With the new year, we fly away,
Trying to forget our own mortality.

Three Mothers stood alone.
Aleph, Mem, and Shin.
A great mystery are these three,
Watching, weaving, and true.

From the Mothers came three Fathers,
Stranger still are they.
Six rings around the Twins,
From six proceed all things.

A riddle I ask you, a riddle so true,
Can you answer me this?
A musing I give you in the form of a poem,
Do you catch my drift?

Three stood alone before all things,
Three who are older than time.
Six stood alone in the Outer Dark,
But which came before which other?

How old is Nimue, how old's the child,
Is she younger than all the rest?
How old is Ninue, is she younger than you,
Who was the very first born?

How old is Mari, how old's the mother,
Was she born and when was that?
How old is Mari, is she older than that,
Who's the reflection of God Herself?

How old's the Anna, how old's the crone,
Is she more ancient than all the rest?
How old's the Anna, is she older than dirt,
When was the Priestess born?

How old's the Blue God, when did he dance,
Was he very first born of all?
How old's the Blue God, how young's the youth,
Who is the last to endure?

How old is Twr, how old is Krom,
Is he father or teacher of all?
How old is Twr, in his tall tower.
Who's sword will cut through us all?

How old is Arddhu, how old is Death,
How long has he stood at the Gates?
How old is Arddhu, did youth or true death,
Come first in the order of things?

Three stood alone before all things,
Three who are older than time.
Six stood alone in the Outer Dark,
But which came before which other?

A riddle I ask you, a riddle so true,
Can you answer me this?
A musing I give you in the form of a poem,
Do you catch my drift?

From the Mothers came three Fathers,
Stranger still are they.
Six rings around the Twins,
From six proceed all things.  

Three Mothers stood alone.
Aleph, Mem, and Shin.
A great mystery are these three,
Watching, weaving, and true.

What is the World Tree?
What is the Axis Mundi?
What is Yggdrasil?
What is Ygg's Steed?
What is Odin's Steed?
What is Sleipnir?
What stands at the Centre of the World?
What bridges worlds?
What is the rainbow bridge?
What is Bifrost?
Where is the Centre of the Compass?
Where is the Circumference?
Who am I?

In the deep dark Womb of darkest Night,
A Child is born by Dawn’s new light,
He grows and grows as seasons pass,
First real thin but getting fat,
And as time passes he comes to age,
A bright round face both pale and fair,
But then he fades and loses weight,
Thinner with each passing day,
Til death does take him in the night,
The Womb of Night his final Grave.

The dark surrounds,
Enfolds,
Fills all,
Hides all,
Secrets and mysteries,
Danger and terror,
Peace and calm.

The wind blows,
Out of the night,
Out of the darkness,
Moving hair,
Moving leaves and grass,
Pushing,
Pulling,
Something alive,
Something strong,
Like a hand,
Grabbing,
Taking,
Trying to take.

Is the wind the darkness?
Is the darkness the wind?
Dark wind,
Night’s wind,
Fair Nyx lost in shadow,
Reaching out,
Grabbing,
Taking,
Trying to take,
A wind on skin and hair,
A darkness that can be felt,
Hungry,
Consuming,
Dark wind,
Night’s wind.

Yellow flame and red fire,
Orange plumes against dark green needles,
Fire dancing as the wind blows it,
A rustle not a roar or crackle,
Fire cool and cold,
But bright with colour,
Ranging yet staying still,
The fire of autumn.

Over the hills,
From mountain to mountain,
He dances and hunts and roams.
Playing his pipes,
And drinking the wine,
He dances and hunts and roams.

Horned God,
***** God,
Dancing God,
Drinking God,
Hooves upon the hills.

A cave in the hills,
The heart of his fair Arcadia,
He dances and hunts and roams.
Demeter he found,
And then he told Zeus,
He dances and hunts and roams.

Horned God,
***** God,
Dancing God,
Drinking God,
Hooves upon the hills.

In fair Arcadia,
He stood feeding his hounds,
He dances and hunts and roams.
Artemis came,
And he gave her ten pairs,
He dances and hunts and roams.

Horned God,
***** God,
Dancing God,
Drinking God,
Hooves upon the hills.

Visions and dreams,
In trances and dances of ecstasy,
He dances and hunts and roams.
Fair Apollo came,
And learned prophecy at his feet,
He dances and hunts and roams.

Horned God,
***** God,
Dancing God,
Drinking God,
Hooves upon the hills.

Bragging and boasting,
He plays his pipes and he dances,
He dances and hunts and roams.
Apollo comes challenging,
And the mountain god liked lyres,
He dances and hunts and roams.

Horned God,
***** God,
Dancing God,
Drinking God,
Hooves upon the hills.

Echo he loved,
He sang and he wooed,
He dances and hunts and roams.
Scorning his love,
His panic tore her to shreds,
He dances and hunts and roams.

Horned God,
***** God,
Dancing God,
Drinking God,
Hooves upon the hills.

Youngest of gods,
But oldest by far,
He dances and hunts and roams.
Father of all,
And forever the Child,
He dances and hunts and roams.

Faerie wings and fox's tails,
Pan horns and leather bras,
Thronging people in thronging crowds,
Dancers dance and musicians play.

Tight hard leather and lots of skin,
Bodices, corsets, and lots of skin,
Furs, feathers, and lots of skin,
Showing, revealing, flirting, lust.

Pan dances as the dancers dance,
Bachus drinks as the drinkers drink,
Aphrodite spreads her legs,
Filled with lust as the people play.

Fun and laughter, dance and play,
Enjoying each other, enjoying the day,
Music and shouting, milling and food,
Golden throng and darkest moon.

Watching the people she feels at home,
Fair and hidden, shadow and light,
The Faerie Queen on a throne of bones,
The revelry worship, all for her.

Wispy clouds stretch across the face,
Of the moon, full and bright,
Glowing through the wispy clouds,
White light lighting up the night.

Mari’s face shining down,
The full moon of her full strength,
Great mother nourishing me,
The tides high reaching for land.

There she sat,
Beneath the tree,
Reading from a book.

The wind in her hair,
That made the leaves dance,
Was the only sound she could hear.

She turned a page,
Intent in the words,
And the pictures that danced in her head.

Then up she jumped,
Dropping her book,
Her hair standing up in fright.

A small bird,
Had flown by her ear,
The frightened her half to death!

Six months later,
Her daughter was born,
The child for which she had yearned.

But as it appeared,
The doctor took fright,
And fainted both then and there.

For what had he seen,
When the baby was born,
But a wing where her arm should have been!

There's a hole in the sky,
Where light shines in.
Dark and hollow.

If you stare at the centre,
You see right through,
To other worlds,
To heaven, to hell.

All around the hole,
The light defuses.
Rays of sunlight,
Light is spread.

Apollo and Sol,
Ra and Helios.
Surya and Horus,
Tonatiuh and Amaterasu.

The hole has substance,
The hole gives heat.
Great fire of sky,
Our local star.

I desire you, oh Great Goddess,
Mother of all there is.
I desire you, oh Quakoralina,
Black ****** of Outer Space.

My heart cries out, my soul cries out,
My longing is all for you.
Toward you is all I am,
You who walks amongst the stars.

I desire to desire,
I long to long,
I lust to lust,
All for you, oh Sugmad.

All I am is burnt away,
All I am is blown away,
All I am is washed away,
All I am crumbs away.

And Desire is all that’s left.

Stardrenched and stardazed,
Starswept and stargazed,
Mad poets and mad priests,
Madness of the gods,
Madness of the stars.
Swept away by visions and dreams,
Swept away by madness and stars.

The robes of the Star Goddess,
Full of stars.
Her train fills the temple,
My heart and soul her temple,
Vast space her temple.
All the worlds, all the stars.
Nuit's body, covered in stars.
The Milky Way, pouring forth from her *******,
A thousand fires, a thousand suns.

A thousand suns, burning bright,
A thousand fires light the night.
Heat that warms the coldest day,
The summer blaze, the winter's thaw.
One day star burning bright,
Life and heat, light and soul.
A thousand suns rise at night,
Fire burning, solar wind.

Solar wind and stellar breeze,
Blowing through the vaults of space.
Winds of movement, winds of change,
Chronus coils, Ananke's trains.
The wind in my heart,
The breath of God,
Breathed into a body of dust.

Body of dust,
Earth dust,
Star dust.
What am I but star dust?
The dust of stars,
The magic of stars.
The insignificance of dust,
The magisty of the stars.
Breath and dust,
Dust and water.

The great sea beyond our world,
Greatest ocean of all time,
The stars are islands in this sea,
The winds are currents flowing strong.
Great sea of space, the yawning mou,
Great womb of life of God Herself.

Stardrenched and stardazed,
Starswept and stargazed,
Mad poets and mad priests,
Madness of the gods,
Madness of the stars.
Swept away by visions and dreams,
Swept away by madness and stars.