moonwoman

moonwoman

they saw a light where there had only been the dark

they saw a shadow where there had not been a soul

they heard a song where there had been only silence

they saw smoke where there had not been a fire

they saw a chain of geese

they saw the door ajar in the night and the day, it was never bolted but for the time of the dark moon… no light then and no shadows, the birds had flown and the shutters were closed….but they still heard the singing, more like a humming then and a keening on those very dark nights.

someone said they saw her catching moonbeams

someone said they saw her weaving them into a gown they said they saw her naked by the water

she had laid out the gown on the hard sand

and

walked into the sea

and

her body cleansed as in baptism of the Gods around her she put on her glowing gown and waited still until the birds came gliding to her in a chain…

…and…

… they called to her and she called back, sang the song of the sea to them and of the wind and they carried her into the night towards the crescent of the waxing moon…

they turned their silver over, turned over their gold

they hurried on by

but saw her fold up her gown

and saw also just how old she had grown

said she told them to dance to her singing

to sway in the wind and the song of the sea

and youth’s promise theirs forever would be…

…and every night they saw her dancing by the water

chanting and singing

she folded her fading gown on the hard sand

and

she drew a circle, stood quite still within…

she raised her arms and lifted her face which grew young once more as the moon kissed her cheek

her body lovely again in the light around her…

…that bound her…

the wind and the waves of the receding tide swallowed her words but still they heard…

I am the Mother of all things,

My love is poured  upon the earth.

I drink you with my perfect love,

Be cleansed,

Be healed.

Be changed….

Be healed

Be cleansed

I drink you with my perfect love,

Which pours upon the earth.

I am the Mother of all things….

and every night they ran away

and the next night they would return,

such power had her spell of love…

such yearning in their souls…

they watched her catching moonbeams

they watched her putting on her gown when she was done, to take them home to weave on the dark moon when  the nights were black…

it was hard work for her to weave her gown as in this time she wearied and grew old, her fingers gnarled and stiffened but it was for her to do to bless the earth, to bless all creatures of the earth and she knew that youth would be restored to her again when she laid aside the gown that she had worn to cleanse the sea and she would again walk into the water and put on the new gown she had woven…when she would once more draw the circle in the sand with the ebbing of the tide waiting for her chain of birds…to take her to her moon….

and

the shutters let in the light once more

they heard her song

they saw her shadow

they saw light

and they were safe

and reassured

that all was as it was

that all was well

and 

what they had grown to know….