Pagan Godspell

Happy Solstice to you!  On this, the shortest day, the clouds are steel gray and stern, and little fat raindrops hang off the winter berries and branches outside my door.  The returning of the light seems impossible – a fabulous secret.  May you feel the spark of the holy fire kindled within you this day and this night. 

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The Shortest Day
by Susan Cooper

So the shortest day came, and the year died,
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive,
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, reveling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us – Listen!!
All the long echoes sing the same delight,
This shortest day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, fest, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!!

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A Leaf From The Tree of Songs
By Adam Christianson

When harpers once in wooden hall
A shining chord would strike
Their songs like arrows pierced the soul
Of great and low alike

Aglow by hearth and candleflame
From burning branch ot ember
The mist of all their music sang
As if to ask in wonder

Is there a moment quite as keen
Or memory as bright
As light and fire and music (sweet)
To warm the winter’s night?

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That fabulous weaver of stories Kim Antieau has posted a Solstice story gift on the Church of the Old Mermaids web site that is simply gorgeous.

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A Solstice Prayer 
(by me)

Sweet gorgeous moment, we pray with you
There is a heartbeat in the faraway night
pulling her dress away from her slippered feet
There it is – the burning star set on the hill
The precious light uncurling from the Mother
The holy secret, the hush, the breath of newness
The night falls away, rolling over in joy
May we keep these songs we learn in the dawning
May we sing them as the crocuses unfold in light
May we cry out at the fullness of the hush and the humming of our bodies
May we be full and never full of You, Holy Holy
The light gilds the bare trees and we are dancing in it
May it always be so. 

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Midwinter wishes to you my friends!