Samhain (Kenny Klien)

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Samhain

Kenny Klien

Red leaves are carried in the salt west wind 

And turn to brown on dry soil. 

The sun is bright still, but not warm

On the last rich gold of scattered fall. 

The great wheel turns, another year 

Old, bright gold with death. 

Bare branches now, the Old Lord's limbs,

Chill wind the Old Lord's breath.

Like dancing leaves on sleeping branches 

The dark tide of memory is stirred. 

The deepest thought-flame now is kindled,

Consuming, the fire in ancient words. 

Samhain, the thin veil opens, fingers 

Reaching through the blackness deep. 

Through the grey cloud wisps, old voices 

Shapes, shifting, slowly creep. 

Mab's red-eyed dogs, howling, wander

Through the fields as soil grows hard 

Searching for uncounted jewels 

The Fairy Queen's forgotten shards 

The last red morsels, undevoured 

Returned to Her who granted birth 

Mab's womb, given up its children, 

Shrivels, cold with the hardened earth.

In meadows that the scythe has tasted 

Now the Samhain fires are high 

The circle dance is weaving, spinning

On graceful foot, on darkened thigh, 

The spiral dance is downward twisted, 

The Horned One's chant, the Welcome Home--

"Home" is on the north wind whispered, 

The Swordless Death Lord takes his throne. 

And to Mab, the Horned One's sister, 

Whose loins have yielded up their spark, 

"Follow" now the north wind whispers, 

Mab, Death Queen, the Timeless Dark.

And in the barren, fruitless meadow, 

Dancing 'round the Samhain fire, 

Her face a flower, her eyes a-tremble,

A young maid spins the ancient spire. 

Chanting home the swordless Horned One,

Like a doe, she leaps the flame. 

In cold Autumn's death, a new beginning, 

In Mab's cold womb, life starts again.

Blessed Be.

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