Homeric

Hymn to Gaia

To Gaia, Mother of All I sing
Primeval

Oldest being
You comprise everything on Earth

The land, and those that take root,
                  and those that move upon the land
The sky, and those who fly through the air
The sea, and all who swim through your waters
All of these are nourished from your bliss

Through you, O Queen, humans are blessed
Both with children and with harvests
You have the power to give life to humans
And also to take life away

Blessed are those whom you delight to honor
They possess everything in abundance
And enough is abundance to the wise
Such is it for those you honor!

Revered goddess, unrivaled deity
Rejoice O Mother of the Gods
Wife of twinkling Ouranos
For this song, grant me a cheerful heart

CC photo: Carole Raddato

Bear Awakening

Early spring, the snow begins to melt.
Gentle breezes whisper on her pelt.
The bear is lying in a torpor inside her den.

She dreams of salmon full of roe
Acorns falling to the ground below
The bear, once sleeping, is awakened.

She shakes her head
She yawns hard
She hears her twin cubs
Crying from hunger

She shakes her head
She yawns hard
She hears her twin cubs
Crying from hunger

She stretches her limbs,
And exhales deeply
She is standing.
The bear awakens.

She lumbers outside of her den
The bright sunlight on ice reflections
The bear, she’s squinting, but gaining focus.

She licks the snow, it tastes good.
She gains the strength to nurse her hungry cubs.
The bear gazes off into the distance.

She shakes her body
She scratches her back
She rolls on the ground
She looks for snacks

She stretches her neck,
And inhales deeply
She is walking.
The bear awakens.

HALF PAGAN

Step into the Light

Step into the light — taking shape, taking form, taking power

Step into the light — sprouting up, budding forth, soon to flower

Step into the light — in the spring, in the time of the equinox

Step into the light — finding balance, finding strength in every paradox

Step into the light — in good health, in good heart, in good spirit

Step into the light — song of Earth, song of life, can you hear it?

Signs

There were signs but I didn't heed them
There were signs all along the way
There were signs of her arrival
On the first of May

When spring was melting into summer
And the nights they were turning warm
That's when I caught her message
In the termite swarm

She was there in the golden sunset
She was there in the live oak tree
She was there like the air we breathe
But we never see

And as we behold her shining face
Radiating into outer space
So we remember we come from a holy place
This is the context of the human race

She was there when you were aborning
When you crawled from your mamma's womb
She'll be there at the bitter end
When you meet your doom

And she's there in every instant
Every moment that comes between
She's there in your every nightmare
Your every dream

She's there in the clap of thunder
She's there in the raging sea
She's there in the grizzly bear
And the honeybee

And through our emergency we got a sense of urgency
What do we make of the gifts we're given?
And once we see her our perspective becomes clearer
We've got to change our way of living

There are signs if only we'd heed them
So many signs all along the way
There are signs of her immanent presence
In the world today

If only we'd pay attention
If only we had eyes to see
If only we could feel the connection
Between you and me

She's there, she's the golden sunset
She's there, she's the live oak tree
She's there, she's the air we breathe
But we never see

And if we listen we might just hear her call
Rising up from underneath it all
She's calling us to revolution
She's calling to our hearts and minds
She's calling us to live in accord with her grand design
Forged in her ancient crucible of time
But tell me is it too late to heed the signs

Flowers to Flame

Flowers in the springtime are nourished by the soil and the rain
And the power of the Sun which will surely consume us again
The forces that pull us together also pull us apart
The height of the light hides a sacred heart of the dark

Flowers to flame
In the Give-Away Time
Summer untamed
Enough to find
All we need
To know her name
To plant the black seed
Flowers to flame

Summertime is sweeter because the fruit ripens with the days
Enzymatic magic fired up by holy solar rays
Starhawk calls it the Give-Away Time of the Sun
It's the dance of the world going round since the world begun

Flowers to flame
In the Give-Away Time
Some're untamed
Enough to find
All we need
To know her name
To plant the black seed
Flowers to flame

A day given over to life, given over to love
For the earth underneath our feet, for the sunshine above
With the petals thrown into the fire we are one and the same
We can be given over like flowers to flame