Tag: poetry

Charge of the Goddess (Doreen Valiente)

Charge of the Goddess (Doreen Valiente)


Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who of old was called Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arienrhod, Brigid, and by many other names:

Whenever you have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, you shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who is Queen of all Witches.

There shall you assemble, who have not yet won my deepest secrets and are fain to learn all sorceries.
To these shall I teach that which is yet unknown.

You shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that you be free you shall be naked in your rites.

Sing, feast, dance, make music and love, all in My presence, for Mine is the ecstasy of the spirit and Mine also is joy on earth.

For My law is love unto all beings.

Mine is the secret that opens upon the door of youth, and Mine is the cup of wine of life that is the Cauldron of Cerridwen that is the holy grail of immortality.

I am the Gracious Goddess who gives the gift of youth unto the heart of mankind.

I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal and beyond death I give peace and freedom and reunion with those that have gone before.

Nor do I demand aught of sacrifice, for behold, I am the mother of all things and My love is poured upon the earth.

Hear the words of the Star Goddess, the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven, whose body encircles the universe:

I who am the beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the stars and the mysteries of the waters,

I call upon your soul to arise and come unto Me.
For I am the soul of nature that gives life to the universe. From Me all things proceed and unto Me they must return.

Let My worship be in the heart that rejoices, for behold — all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals. Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you.

And you who seek to know Me, know that your seeking and yearning will avail you not, unless you know the Mystery: for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without.

For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.

Zo te sterven op het water

Zo te sterven op het water




Zo te sterven op het water
met je vleugels van papier,
zo maar drijven na het vliegen,
in de wolken drijf je hier.

Met je kleuren die vervagen,
zonder zoeken, zonder vragen.
Eindelijk voor altijd rusten
met de bloemen die je kuste.

Geuren die je hebt geweten,
alles kan je nu vergeten,
op het water wieg je heen en weer.

Zo te sterven op het water met je vleugels van papier.
Als een vlinder die toch vliegen kan tot in de blauwe lucht,
als een vlinder, altijd vrij en voor het leven op de vlucht,
wil ik sterven op het water, maar dat is een zorg van later.

Ik wil nu als vlinder vliegen,
op de bloemenblaren wiegen.
Maar zo hoog kan ik niet komen,
dus ik vlieg maar in mijn dromen.

Altijd ben ik voor het leven op de vlucht,
als een vlinder die toch vliegen kan tot in de blauwe lucht.
Om te leven, dacht ik, je zou een vlinder moeten zijn,
om te vliegen heel ver weg van alle leed en alle pijn.
Maar ik heb niet langer hinder
van jaloers zijn op een vlinder.

Want zelfs vlinders moeten sterven,
laat ik niet mijn vreugd bederven.
Ik kan zonder vliegen leven.
Wat zal ik nog langer geven
om een vlinder die verdronken is in mij?
Om te leven hoef ik echt geen vlinder meer te zijn

Boudewijn de Groot

Heart Sutra

Heart Sutra


Avalokiteshvara
while practicing deeply with
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore,
suddenly discovered that
all of the five Skandhas are equally empty,
and with this realisation
he overcame all Ill-being.

“Listen Sariputra,
this Body itself is Emptiness
and Emptiness itself is this Body.
This Body is not other than Emptiness
and Emptiness is not other than this Body.
The same is true of Feelings,
Perceptions, Mental Formations,
and Consciousness.

“Listen Sariputra,
all phenomena bear the mark of Emptiness;
their true nature is the nature of
no Birth no Death,
no Being no Non-being,
no Defilement no Purity,
no Increasing no Decreasing.

“That is why in Emptiness,
Body, Feelings, Perceptions,
Mental Formations and Consciousness
are not separate self entities.

The Eighteen Realms of Phenomena
which are the six Sense Organs,
the six Sense Objects,
and the six Consciousnesses
are also not separate self entities.

The Twelve Links of Interdependent Arising
and their Extinction
are also not separate self entities.
Ill-being, the Causes of Ill-being,
the End of Ill-being, the Path,
insight and attainment,
are also not separate self entities.

Whoever can see this
no longer needs anything to attain.

Bodhisattvas who practice
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
see no more obstacles in their mind,
and because there
are no more obstacles in their mind,
they can overcome all fear,
destroy all wrong perceptions
and realize Perfect Nirvana.

“All Buddhas in the past, present and future
by practicing
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
are all capable of attaining
Authentic and Perfect Enlightenment.

“Therefore Sariputra,
it should be known that
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
is a Great Mantra,
the most illuminating mantra,
the highest mantra,
a mantra beyond compare,
the True Wisdom that has the power
to put an end to all kinds of suffering.
Therefore let us proclaim
a mantra to praise
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore.

Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!
Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!
Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!”

https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/letters/thich-nhat-hanh-new-heart-sutra-translation

Gunga Din

Gunga Din


YOU may talk o’ gin an’ beer
When you’re quartered safe out ‘ere,
An’ you’re sent to penny-fights an’ Aldershot it;
But if it comes to slaughter
You will do your work on water,          5
An’ you’ll lick the bloomin’ boots of ‘im that’s got it.
Now in Injia’s sunny clime,
Where I used to spend my time
A-servin’ of ‘Er Majesty the Queen,
Of all them black-faced crew   10
The finest man I knew
Was our regimental bhisti, Gunga Din.
    It was “Din! Din! Din!
    You limping lump o’ brick-dust, Gunga Din!
    Hi! slippy hitherao!   15
    Water, get it! Panee lao!
    You squidgy-nosed old idol, Gunga Din!”
The uniform ‘e wore
Was nothin’ much before,
An’ rather less than ‘arf o’ that be’ind,   20
For a twisty piece o’ rag
An’ a goatskin water-bag
Was all the field-equipment ‘e could find.
When the sweatin’ troop-train lay
In a sidin’ through the day,   25
Where the ‘eat would make your bloomin’ eyebrows crawl,
We shouted “Harry By!”
Till our throats were bricky-dry,
Then we wopped ‘im ’cause ‘e couldn’t serve us all.
    It was “Din! Din! Din!   30
    You ‘eathen, where the mischief ‘ave you been?
    You put some juldee in it,
    Or I’ll marrow you this minute,
    If you don’t fill up my helmet, Gunga Din!”
YOU may talk o’ gin an’ beer
When you’re quartered safe out ‘ere,
An’ you’re sent to penny-fights an’ Aldershot it;
But if it comes to slaughter
You will do your work on water,          5
An’ you’ll lick the bloomin’ boots of ‘im that’s got it.
Now in Injia’s sunny clime,
Where I used to spend my time
A-servin’ of ‘Er Majesty the Queen,
Of all them black-faced crew   10
The finest man I knew
Was our regimental bhisti, Gunga Din.
    It was “Din! Din! Din!
    You limping lump o’ brick-dust, Gunga Din!
    Hi! slippy hitherao!   15
    Water, get it! Panee lao!
    You squidgy-nosed old idol, Gunga Din!”
The uniform ‘e wore
Was nothin’ much before,
An’ rather less than ‘arf o’ that be’ind,   20
For a twisty piece o’ rag
An’ a goatskin water-bag
Was all the field-equipment ‘e could find.
When the sweatin’ troop-train lay
In a sidin’ through the day,   25
Where the ‘eat would make your bloomin’ eyebrows crawl,
We shouted “Harry By!”
Till our throats were bricky-dry,
Then we wopped ‘im ’cause ‘e couldn’t serve us all.
    It was “Din! Din! Din!   30
    You ‘eathen, where the mischief ‘ave you been?
    You put some juldee in it,
    Or I’ll marrow you this minute,
    If you don’t fill up my helmet, Gunga Din!”
‘E would dot an’ carry one   35
Till the longest day was done,
An’ ‘e didn’t seem to know the use o’ fear.
If we charged or broke or cut,
You could bet your bloomin’ nut,
‘E’d be waitin’ fifty paces right flank rear.   40
With ‘is mussick on ‘is back,
‘E would skip with our attack,
An’ watch us till the bugles made “Retire.”
An’ for all ‘is dirty ‘ide,
‘E was white, clear white, inside   45
When ‘e went to tend the wounded under fire!
    It was “Din! Din! Din!”
    With the bullets kickin’ dust-spots on the green.
    When the cartridges ran out,
    You could ‘ear the front-files shout:   50
    “Hi! ammunition-mules an’ Gunga Din!”
I sha’n’t forgit the night
When I dropped be’ind the fight
With a bullet where my belt-plate should ‘a’ been.
I was chokin’ mad with thirst,   55
An’ the man that spied me first
Was our good old grinnin’, gruntin’ Gunga Din.
‘E lifted up my ‘ead,
An’ ‘e plugged me where I bled,
An’ ‘e guv me ‘arf-a-pint o’ water—green;   60
It was crawlin’ an’ it stunk,
But of all the drinks I’ve drunk,
I’m gratefullest to one from Gunga Din.
    It was “Din! Din! Din!
    ‘Ere’s a beggar with a bullet through ‘is spleen;   65
    ‘E’s chawin’ up the ground an’ ‘e’s kickin’ all around:
    For Gawd’s sake, git the water, Gunga Din!”
‘E carried me away
To where a dooli lay,
An’ a bullet come an’ drilled the beggar clean.   70
‘E put me safe inside,
An’ just before ‘e died:
“I ‘ope you liked your drink,” sez Gunga Din.
So I’ll meet ‘im later on
In the place where ‘e is gone—   75
Where it’s always double drill and no canteen;
‘E’ll be squattin’ on the coals
Givin’ drink to pore damned souls,
An’ I’ll get a swig in Hell from Gunga Din!
    Din! Din! Din!   80
    You Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din!
    Tho’ I’ve belted you an’ flayed you,
    By the livin’ Gawd that made you,
    You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

Rudyard Kipling

The Witches Rune

The Witches Rune


Darksome night and shining moon,
East, then south, west then north,
Hearken to the witches’ rune.
Here come I to call the forth.
Earth and water, air and fire,
Wand and Pentacle and Sword
Work ye unto my desire.
Hearken ye unto my word.
Cords and Censer, Scourge and Knife,
Powers of the Witches Blade,
Waken all ye into life.
Come ye as the charm is made.
Queen of Heaven, Queen of Hell,
Horned Hunter of the Night,
Lend your power unto my spell.
Work my will by magic rite.
By all the power of land and sea,
By all the might of moon and sun,
As I do will, so mote it be.
Chant the spell and be it done.

Wiccan Rede

Wiccan Rede


Wiccan Rede
Bide the wiccan laws ye must
In perfect love and perfect trust
Live and let live
Fairly take and fairly give

Cast the circle thrice about
To keep all evil spirits out
To bind the spell every time
Let the spell be spake in rhyme

Soft of eye and light of touch
Speak little listen much
Deosil go by the waxing moon
Sing and dance the wiccan rune

Widdershins go by waning moon
Chanting out the baneful rune
When the lady’s moon is new
Kiss the hand to her times two

When the moon rides at her peak
Then your heart desire seek
Heed the northwind mighty gale
Lock the door and drop the sail

When the wind comes from the south
Love will kiss thee on the mouth
When the wind blows from the east
Expect the new and set the feast

When the west wind blows o’er thee
Departed spirits restless be
Nine woods in the cauldron go
Burn them quick and burn them slow

Elder be ye lady’s tree
Burn it not or cursed ye’ll be
When the wheel begins to turn
Let the beltane fires burn

When the wheel has turned a yule
Light the logs and let Pan rule
Heed ye flower bush and tree
By the Lady blessed be

Where the rippling waters go
Cast a stone an truth ye’ll know
When ye have need
Hearken not to other’s greed

With the fool no seaseson spend
Or be counted as his friend
Merry meet and merry part
Bright the cheeks an warm the heart

Mind the threefold law ye should
Three times bad and three times good
When misfortune is enow
Wear the blue star on thy brow

True in love ever be
Unless thy lover’s false to thee
Eight words the wiccan rede fulfill
An it harm none do what ye will

Zwaarden

Zwaarden


1. Het zwaard van weten
zal wolken snijden
om kroon te spannen
en krans te pakken

2. twee klingen treffen elkaar
hun wilkracht worstelt weerom
in balans wankel voorwaar
ze vallen uiteen rondom

3. zwaarden treffen in het hart
luiheid hebzucht jaloezie
driemaal snijden tot het bot
lijden strijden sneven

4. rust in vrede en slaap zacht
strijd gestreden in de wacht
na rustpoos komt nu wake
reis verder maar met mate

5. haastig roof brengt spoedig buit
wrake volgt de snelle dief
opstaan zal wie onder ging
tegen macht van dwinger trots

6. veerman mag ik over varen
dannog moet ik tol betalen
over zee of over zwerk
obool is tol voor veerman

7. als een dief in de nacht
sluipt spion langs de wacht
wanneer wachter rede slaapt
komen nacht demonen

8. spitsroeden lopen tussen zwaarden
blindlings dwalen in moeras
gekerkerd wegens eigen blindheid
gevangen door dwaze doofheid

9. wanhoop om wreedheid
tranen in de nacht
wreedheid brengt wanhoop
en kreten van de wacht

10. dolken in de rug
bloedspoor bij schemer
middenin lijkendveld
bloeien papavers

11. scherpzinnig zoekt de speurnis
naar sporen van het jachtwild
wie echter is de jager
hellehond of het haasje

12. dappere ridder te paard
snelvoetig zwaaiend zijn zwaard
onversaagd klievend links en rechts
onverhoeds stotend hier en daar

13. op het scherp van de snede
balanceert nu de weegschaal
links of rechts valt het oordeel
nivellering is de strijdkreet

14. scherprechter op zijn troon
doordringend met zijn zwaard
baanbrekend is zijn toorn
onfeilbaar is zijn haat

Munten

Munten


1. de discus is mijn basis
mijn startblok vanuit stasis
de hoeksteen van de vesting
de grendel van het gevang

2. dag en nacht
wisselen wacht
van dageraad
tot avondrood

3. werken aan
vakmanschap
brengt faam
en meesterschap

4. de aardse macht
is ruwe kracht
in steen gevormd
waar niets aan tornt

5. voor zwervers zijn
geen kamers vrij
maar hemelrijk
staat vol sterren

6. overvloed is er
om te delen
onvrede ontstaat
voor wie moet smeken

7. wie blijft staan wachten
vindt vele klachten
maar in oogsttijd
wordt vrucht bevrijdt

8. voorzichtig en nauwgezet
is de weg van de leerling
overzicht en verbanden
is de les om te leren

9. de tuin der lusten
vol van vruchten
is leeg van leven
zonder vrienden

10. huis en haard
zijn goud waard
als vrienden
samenzijn

11. de hoeksteen van materie
brengt lessen esoterie
maar zware indolentie
brengt enkel melancholie

12. de geld koerier
brengt snel plezier
maar haast en spoed
is zelden goed

13. de aardse vrouw
blijft altijd trouw
haar vorm brengt kracht
of lege pracht

14. diamanten koning
stierkoning broodheer
verult de woning
overvol keer op keer

Only the Lonely

Only the Lonely


Each place I go only the lonely go
Some little small cafè
The songs I know only the lonely know
Each melody recalls a love that used to be
The dreams I dream only the lonely dream
Of lips as warm as May
That hopeless scheme only the lonely scheme
That soon somewhere you’ll find the one that used to care
[From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/f/frank-sinatra-lyrics/only-the-lonely-lyrics.html%5D
And you recall each fun time
Those picnics at the beach when love was new
It well could be the one time
A hopeless little dream like that comes true
If you find love hang on to each caress
And never let love go
For when it’s gone you’ll know the loneliness
The heartbreak only the lonely know

Frank Sinatra

Lente equinox

Lente equinox


niet bij dag noch bij nacht

niet op land noch op zee

maar bij schemering aan de horizon

of bij dageraad aan de oever

de sprong van de zalm over de waterval

de vlucht van de pijl

naar het hart van de roos