Red Deer's Views of the White Goddess

Anticipating relativistic referents

your presence crystalline spheres await
inanimate yet cognizant nodes
of the scintillating cosmic dance
that replicate labyrinths of time,

your perception sparkling waters find
lucid yet complex ululations
for dynamic forces catalyst
which mediate oneness' multitude,

your being serpent venoms allude
central yet peripheral bindings
from transcendent actualities
through transsubstantiated essence.

wound around ambiguous objectivity
daylight fades -

in darkness waken silent watchers
who shift
with evening breezes shapes
from diurnal trances,
so lift softly serenades
to cirrus crags on night's horizon
where the full moon dances

unfettered forest spirits
frolic following ciaran call -
reboant round darkened bield
through elf-flames'
aery flicker
nionatonic nocturnes flow,
once born a self sustaining thrall
each life absorbs and fills with wonder
who have felt the greenwood grow

leaf tapestried pavilions
moonlit through hours of morning -
fade as to each and to their mother
raising toast dochandorach
bid dancers
peaceful sleep,
when cocks crow camhanach warning
mended forests' faerie waltzes
with caer sidhe bound retreat

Gracefully through sapphire water glides
an ebony barge - the symbol which abides
within the mist whose boundaries worlds ordain,
slips silently along sidereal tides.

From crimson billows golden serpents twain
their course survey, mark the skies' refrain
o'er gilded masts where time has never flowed,
then sing the stars to motion once again.

High priest and priestess trace anew in woad
forehead then forearm - crescent and spiral bode
oneiric glyphs that transmute dance from dream,
of passion name their vessel's primal mode.

Yet faerie mists are never what they seem
nor oceans, held in silver chalice' gleam
where gilded barges often sail on dew,
when born of spoken rune and last moonbeam.

On summer's darker nights when moon wains new
above the leaves - in ancient groves of yew
both trees and watchers wait till She presides,
with visions of Her worlds to them imbue.

I feel you sleeping now, one with your dreams ...
daughters of darkness, daughters of light
children of the moon, children of the sun
sisters of the stars, sisters of the earth.
I am content in this, that you shall awaken ...
to wonder of poetry, to awe of harmony
to surprise of laughter, to reverence of life
to raise your own voices, and to understand the ancient song:

"Who am I that I am?"

"I have been the high priestess, with secret letters among the fir
and have been the high priest, casting runes beside the birch
I have joined the eagle, who soars over the ash
I have taken up the sword, to strike a fire beneath the pine
I have known the star, which flickers through the rowan."

"I have been the huntress, with bow and arrow among the broom
and have been the horned one, seeking glain beside the alder
I have joined the lion, who prowls amid the whitethorn
I have taken up the wand, to move a wind within the blackthorn
I have known the sun, which blazes through the willow."

"I have been the high queen, with happy children among the linden
and have been the high king, long rejoicing beside the oak."

"I have joined the dolphin, who swims beyond the holly
I have taken up the chalice, to pour water upon the apple
I have known the moon, which shines through the hazel
I have been the wise woman, with luminescence among the poplar
and have been the poet, drinking wine beside the bramble."

"I have joined the stag, who runs beneath the ivy
I have taken up the torq, to limn a crypt among the juniper
I have known the earth, which lives beneath the reed
I have been the death crone, with bloody scythe among the yew
and have been the sacrificed man, bleeding life beside the elder."

"I was one with the goddess, encircled with white and crimson."
"I was one with the god, crowned with green and gold."

"The turning wheel I am."

Lady, night and day

Lady, night and day
day and night,
your turning wheel
goes ever round;
the moons,
the seasons,
the ages of life,
go ever round
your turning wheel.

Of you are we born
daughter and son,
to you have we died
son and daughter,
have died and are born;
in spirit, one
of flesh, two
on another turn
the same.
In time choices come,
darkness or light
and each must choose;
you reside within us,
leading along
one path or another,
light or darkness,
another turn, the same
our destination - home.

©1993 - W. Reid White

mothercloud forms, from clear midnight sky

mothercloud forms, from clear midnight sky
billows forth, within Laussel-glyphed contour
tilts her head, toward the waxing moon
and limning the orb
with her tongue, swallows
then reclines, flowing body lain across
her birthing chair, the arc of night
bearer of infinity.

venusmother recreates, her child the world
tacitly dissipates, among sweet meandering breezes
wantonly dances, over leaf-chimed forest canopy
then summoning summer thunder
anoints her daughter, queen
on clouddragon's brow, lamp of evening
in crown of stars, lady of darkness
another tide rounds the wheel.

do you know that I find you here...
even when you are not with me?

do you hear me calling you?