NEW YEAR

Anon shall the year's last snowflake fall,
'mid white carpets her funeral roses bloom;
'pon her brink shall life and death embrace,
bittersweet melodies from every heart plume.

Destiny her newborn shall bring forth,
rapture with sorrow to cosmic refrains dance;
man, bird and beast would teary eyed cheer,
as her rout of moments and vignettes advance.

Infant's pure eyes the beldam's shall meet,
their souls 'pon the Infinite's threshold entwine;
this sacred covenant Light ordains,
so Life may with universal Will align.

Stellar chorales this moment shall bless
with shimmering cascades of crystalline chimes;
their voices our cherished dreams shall deck,
the slumbering Earth hallow with blissful rhymes.

Dawn her radiant bounty shall bestow
'pon spirits of blossoms and snowfalls to come;
future tides in Nature's arms shall rest,
as yesterday's Seasons tomorrow's tunes thrum.

And the Wheel of the Year onward turns,
for 'pon Father Time's bosom e'er to repose;
sated, by trials wiser rendered,
the Past its weary child's gladness shall enclose.

© 2014 Lily's Verse
Lilium Candidum

Image: www.michccs.com

POLARIS

Look to the skies in veneration!

There, my beacon

awaits. As Angels' chariots thro'

vast elysian fields

I glide, tho' to the dark, clinquant

æther tethered, as

the brightest pearl 'pon a jewelled

veil sailing o'er

Eternity's mellifluous waves.

Cynosure am I of wayfarers o'er 

land and sea, 'cross

trailless deserts. Woeful hearts

of lost travellers I

gladden, of wanderers 'pon life's

path, as kinfolk circle

my celestial shrine.

Thro' the tumult of earthly babel

must you seek my

vessel, for my light embosoms

the truths you quest

after. Your intent shall guide me

to your soul, anchor

my path to its thirsty plains.

My glimmer shall trace forgotten

dreams 'pon the bare 

walls of your mind, render revered 

visions in colours sole

your eyes shall see,

limn every soft spirant carved 'pon

your heartstrings.

Let the verdure enfold you, for the

Sun's fire fashions

Nature's robes, my silken spangles

coif and crown her. 

In her embrace shall you journey

heavenward, breathe 

the radiance of stars yet unseen,

unknown, unformed.

Cast your eyes upon the firmament!

Sole thusly shall you

know the light in your darkest night.

© 2014 Lily's Verse

Lilium Candidum

Image: galacticimages.com

SEASONS: FOUR NONETS

GARDEN 

Blithesome, blushing, bountiful blossoms
Shimmering, swaying, sprightly spikes
Frolicsome, frothy florets
Vivacious, velvet vines
Convivial clusters
Playful petals
Lambent leaves
Bright buds
Bliss...

MORNING GLORY

Cascades of gold flood her pale chalice,
Amber drops wreathe its silver rim,
Still, she drinks, ever athirst,
In his ardour she basks,
His copiousness craves,
Her form glows bright,
Yet, she yearns,
unslaked, 
dies.


HUNTER'S MOON

Silent, she stalks the red Hunter's moon 
Her dreams circle this lucent sphere
Her heart, she reposits there
It blossoms far from strife
In loneness, it thrives
It swells with song
It bleeds joy
Her heart
Beats.

SNOWFLAKE

Hoary skies rain filigreed crystals.
Lustrous lace festoons Winter's gown.
Silver tracery sparkles.
Argent arabesques gleam.
Floral fretwork glides.
Diamond drops dart.
Ice shards swirl,
alight,
fuse.

© 2014 Lily's Verse

Lilium Candidum

Image: pixgood.com

WINTER SOLSTICE

Skies’ crisp blue splendour the North wind exalts,
in Winter’s embrace, Nature slumbers;
this sacred dawn the Sun's rebirth heralds,
tho' the great freeze new life’s path cumbers.

Gelid storms buffet, colder days shall come,
Summer’s songsters now warmer climes seek;
man’s frayed spirit would silence and respite,
distant voices heed that wordless speak.

This day, the ancient tomb with brightness fills,
the Goddess renewed growth bestows;
the Great horned God from her womb shall come forth,
Spring’s promise shall in his heart repose.

The Sun has set, a Yule altar we raise,
the Season’s darkest day is done;
a downy spread the sleeping earth blankets,
the great Oak King this battle has won.

Sprigs of mistletoe 'pon the cloth we place,
holly and ivy our homes adorn;
birth's sigil 'pon the oak log we inscribe,
for our feast to grace till early morn.

To the Mother Goddess we grateful bow,
ancient God of the Forest invoke;
wine 'pon the Yule log the Priestess sprinkles,
as our forbears' blessings we evoke.

In the longest night’s beauty we rejoice,
for Heaven's blossoms hope's message spell;
starlit bonfires the Gold Orb honour,
Yuletide ditties our forlornness quell.

The Sun King his northward journey begins,
may his sacred light good fortune bring;
his radiance shall we in our hearts carry,
for our spirits to sustain till Spring.

© 2014 Lily's Verse
Lilium Candidum

Image: sculptedimage.com

Image: wyldestonecottage.blogspot.com

WINTER SONG

Hail the Season of reflection,
now Nature peaceful sleeps;
silver flakes leafless branches wear,
the moon thro' grey skies peeps.

Snow-drenched winds the Holly King greet,
for now his reign begins;
in frosted gowns evergreens preen,
as sprightly birdsong thins.

Chill winds drifts of crystal shards heap,
the fields now barren lie;
a gelid darkness Earth enfolds,
as sparkling slivers fly.

Comfort of clan and home we seek,
shelter from icy storms;
with kinfolk 'round the hearth gather,
here, love's light cheers and warms.

Mother rests, in jewelled robes clad,
in Her womb new dreams bears;
the Light of the World's return awaits,
for Life's rebirth prepares.

Nestled deep in the Great Below,
Spring's heart its flame awaits;
the Sacred Fire its beat shall spark,
as the great freeze abates.

The Sun his ascent shall commence
'pon the year's darkest day;
may all bear this seed time of year,
in hearts hope's brightest ray.

Anon shall the Oak King prevail,
the Great Wheel onward turns;
blessings bestows as the Yule log
thro' the longest night burns.

© 2014 Lily's Verse
Lilium Candidum

Image: CAIRN IN SNOW
Source: Google Art Project

Artist: Caspar David Friedrich

THE PIPER OF DUNTRUNE

I

'Pon the rocky headland by Loch Crinan,
a haunted fortress in Argyll stands;
'twas raised for Cal'donian seas to guard
'gainst invaders from faraway lands.

Tributes of blood the battlements mantled,
where clansmen brave their foes overcame;
'neath thundering feet its stones once trembled,
their anguish now they silent declaim.

A lone piper's spirit the ramparts roams,
his airs 'cross the misty waters sound;
his heroic deeds the village folk praise,
tho' sorrows deep his refrains expound.

By masters and brethren alike esteemed,
by clans the highest standing tendered,
troops into battle doughty pipers led;
e'en foes such sanctuary rendered.

Centuries ago, the great Campbell clan
'pon Duntrune and its acr'age held sway;
as war in this divided nation raged,
this stronghold long feebly guarded lay.

Allegiance they to their Parliament spoke,
their sovereign they vehement forswore,
as, alas, to these brave-hearts unbeknownst,
the MacDonalds besieged Duntrune's shores.

Bitter rivals' citadel they wrested,
'pon its bastion their standard upraised;
anon sailed away for King Charles to serve,
as the bagpipe's strains their valour phrased.

The piper, for the castle to defend,
with a paltry garrison remained;
paragon of learning, wisdom and skill
his weary soldiers' spirits sustained.

II


Erelong the Campbells to Duntrune returned,
aghast at their sworn foe's banners stared;
enraged, an attack to mount they resolved,
silent to nearby woodlands repaired.

At dawn, these mettlesome men the fort stormed,
their rightful dominion they reclaimed;
every MacDonald to the sword was put,
sole one they spared, this piper unnamed.

This young tunesmith the Campbells captive held,
now for Chief Alasdair's life he feared,
for how would he his master caution
when his boat 'pon the horizon appeared?

One early morn, the galley he espied,
when prompt a clever ruse 'pon him dawned;
a glad tune he piped, then sudden a dirge,
with rotating airs his chieftain warned.

Thusly from death he his clansfolk preserved,
this faithful gallant's judgement they hailed;
with heavy hearts their boats homeward turned,
their brother grieving, to safety sailed.

III


Alas, the Campbells this signal construed,
declared the piper ne'er more would play;
for this bold trespass his hands they severed,
jeered, as 'pon the stones he bleeding lay.

And so into eternal sleep he passed, 
resting place sole to his slayer known;
thenceforth, say village folk, they oft discern
the piper's notes thro' dawnlit winds moan.

"Tis naught but a myth", unbelievers said,
the villagers' accounts they dismissed;
yet, ever and anon his refrain swelled
when first light Duntrune's rugged shores kissed.

This Spring, all doubts forever were silenced,
as journeymen the citadel girthed;
a handless corpse 'neath the flagstones they found,
'twas the piper's remains they unearthed.

The grieving past its message had spoken,
the laird and his kinfolk deeply stirred;
'pon a grassy knoll by his favoured post
the departed soul's bones they interred. 

With a carv'd stone the piper's grave they marked,
the bishop his troubled spirit blessed;
for his easement the assemblage prayed,
still the troubled phantom knows no rest.

'Pon Duntrune's shores this lost soul yet wanders,
at daybreak to his station returns;
his plaintive tunes o'er dawnlit ripples drift,
as for his beloved clan he yearns.

© 2014 Lily's Verse
Lilium Candidum

Image: www.whitbyseaanglers.co.uk

Image: deidremccrimmon.co.uk

HOLLOW

What holds up this amassment
of cells? My soul
inhabits a cavern your words
carved over
thousands of years.
Each syllable you uttered gouged
out ten from my tongue.

Your every question, yes, every
sentence, drips my
bloodied syllables,
the very life upon which your
womb bestowed form, emotion
and expression. 

Now you would reclaim that
which would
be my own, breathe my breaths,
abstract my skin.
And I must move beyond the
threshold of birth
to faraway spaces, where the
glow of ancient
knowledge has faded.

There, I drink from a drying well.
Rain falls through
the ruins of my heart, taps your
taunting beat
in the dark hollow, quiets, as it
finds traces of its
own joyous flow, winding paths,
withered verdure,
patterns, varicoloured glyphs
from days of warmth, of smiles
and laughter.

To the waters' softly solacing
sussurus, I scour
the elements for lost syllables. 

I could never have
enough syllables, mother.

© 2014 Lily's Verse
Lilium Candidum

Image: flickriver.com

SONG OF THE FAERIE MAIDEN

The sweetest note of the lark's song am I,
that glides 'pon a laughing stream,
the rainbow wisp that o'er dewdrops dances,
'neath the archway of a dream.

Nature's will I heed, her mission honour,
all Creation animate,
Springtide's raiment cause to bloom and wither,
the wind's tunes 'pon clouds notate. 

Swallows and starlings joyous greetings trill
as o'er Day's bright waves I fly;
sole hearts that with mine in harmony sing
my beauteous form shall espy.

Rosy strands of dawn’s flame my tresses tint,
mountain heather's breath my eyes;
moonbeams' gossamer weaves my pale skin clothe
my heartbeat with Life's allies.

Butterflies' wings deepest cherry I dot,
sun drops shower 'pon violets' breasts,
pails of azure o'er forget-me-nots cast,
first light's blush 'pon robins' vests.

Newborn leaves with my ribbons I halo,
the glowworm's spark enkindle,
columbines' skirts with satin spume suffuse,
stray webs wind 'round my spindle.

Summer breezes I ride, the corn silk stir,
'pon the cool moss my head lay;
my refrains with the feathered throng's entwine,
as blooms to their rhythms sway.

For Autumn's brightest gold I gleeful reach
by thistledown borne aloft;
clamorous choristers bid gentler chant,
'pon misty curlicues waft.

As a silver thread thro' cascades I run,
Winter's gown with snowflakes lace,
with icy garlands evergreens festoon,
easement o'er Earth's slumber trace.

My smile shall you see when harebells tinkle,
my joy in a bairn's song hear;
as Life's Seasons recurse, thro' births and deaths,
my succour shall e'er be near.

© 2014 Lily's Verse

Lilium Candidum

Image: TITANIA

Source: www.liveinternet.ru

Artist: Thomas Francis Dicksee

BEING

Feathered clocks skirt woodland

alleys to healing springs;

silken wisps mark each moment,

tutued dancers leap into

sunlit breezes upon Nature's cue.

Waters bubble from underearth

hollows; the parched

valley refills with life. Velvet scents,

potpourri of elm and

thyme waft over starfields of old.

Far from humanity's pain, beyond

the burden of broken 

dreams, her footsteps trace bliss

upon Earth's Autumn

parchment, mosaic of red and gold.

In the glow of starbirth, she unlocks

her heart, its smiles sole

these woods see. Her disquietude

lies confined in a distant 

dungeon, to glad oblivion consigned.

Twilight unfurls over doleful soughs 

of vespertide zephyrs thro'

bereaved branches. Earth now seeks

rest, silent contemplation,

elusive doctrines of fecund voidness.

"Spaces are as much constellation as 

the stars; a cosmic crash

precedes the calm of solitary stillness.

In subtle tenderness, languid 

posture, shall you see shapes of light."

As a downy brushstroke she floats  

upon an etheric canvas, 

borne o'er the gentle camber of the 

wind's placid paeans

to the spinney's sprightly songsters.

Here 'mid the upwelling of safe silence, 

the strands and planes of 

her soul dance their tribute to Being, 

this day her only axiom.

© 2014 Lily's Verse

Lilium Candidum

Image: WITH THE WIND 
Source: www.liveinternet.ru
Artist: Edward Robert Hughes