What a wonderful life I’ve had! If only I’d realized it sooner! — Colette As Lughnassadh reminds us, the Wheel is turning, and while summer’s heat continues as if it will last forever, there is already a feverishness about it. The birds, the creatures of fields and forests, and even the Green Ones are now … Read more
Little Summer Poem Touching the Subject of Faithby Mary Oliver Every summerI listen and lookunder the sun’s brass and eveninto the moonlight, but I can’t hear anything, I can’t see anything —not the pale roots digging down, nor the green stalks muscling up,nor the leavesdeepening their damp pleats, nor the tassels making,nor the shucks, nor … Read more
When in still air and still in summertimeA leaf has had enough of this, it seemsTo make up its mind to go; fine as a sageIts drifting in detachment down the road. — Howard Nemerov, Threshold This is the eve of Lughnassadh, also called Lammas in the Christian revision of the Pagan rites. It is … Read more
Today is Midsummer Day in many of the Scandinavian and eastern European countries. In Finland, Latvia, and Estonia, for example, Midsummer Day is second only to Christmas as the biggest holiday of the year. Bonfires, feasting, parades, dancing and carousing fill the countryside. All sorts of divination and spells are common practice, and reveling outdoors … Read more
The young maid stole through the cottage door,And blushed as she sought the Plant of pow’r; —“Thou silver glow-worm, O lend me thy light,I must gather the mystic St. John’s wort tonight,The wonderful herb, whose leaf will decideIf the coming year shall make me a bride.”— Old German St. John’s Eve divination spell Today is … Read more
White coral bells Upon a slender stalk, Lilies of the Valley Deck my garden walk. Oh, don’t you wish That you could hear them ring? That will happen only when the faeries sing.— For my brothers, sisters, and the Dragons of MMT –- Did you stay up last night to dance and sing with the … Read more
Amazing Grace, how sweet the EarthThat birthed a Witch like me.I once was burned, now I surviveWas hanged, but now I’m free. T’was grace that drew down the MoonAnd grace that raised the sea,The magic of our people’s willWill set our Mother free. Rejoice! Rejoice! Blessings of Litha! May the children of Earth awaken, rise … Read more
Visioning – ©Susan Seddon Boulet I rise in silence, steadfast in the elements with thought a smoke-blue veil drawn round me. Seasons clothe me in laurel and bittersweet, in ice but my heart is constant… –– Marilou Awiakta, © Smoky Mountain-Woman As the magic of Summer Solstice approaches, the activity of the Faery folk increases … Read more
Ripeness – © Osho Zen TarotLast day of Springripe purple plums drop–form is emptiness. First day of Summerditch completely dry–emptiness is form. — Short Poems by Michael P. Garofalo We begin the final countdown to the Solstice, which arrives next week. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it is the Summer Solstice, the … Read more
Oh, do not tell the Priest our plight,Or he would call it a sin;But we have been out in the woods all night,A-conjuring Summer in!– – Rudyard Kipling Many of the visitors to my website will be celebrating Beltane this weekend with their circles, covens and communities (in addition to their solitary or family rites … Read more