Seasonal Quartet

By: Alexandrite Posted on: July 14, 2007

Presented below is an excerpt from the voluminous archives overseen by Aderia,
Priestess of the Seasons. These hymns and poems, dedicated to the Lady
Melantha, are distinct in that they have been scribed by Aderia herself in
archaic Tsol'aa. The following translation is fair but may not be entirely
accurate.

Seasons of Life

A babe is born in dappled rays of sun,
Among the frisky fawns and doe-eyed mothers;
First breaths of forest air from tender shoots,
For hopeful spring and innocence renewed.

From infancy a child strides away
Just as a fawn strikes out into the wild
And walks the rarest hidden trail untrod,
Surrounded by the scent of summer blooms.

Maturity, hard won, arrives as late
As falling flames from weathered hazel bark,
To face the crises set by Change's will,
For middle-age sows autumn's lifetime seeds.

In failing health, the elder stops to rest,
Seeker still of life's elusive path
But wearying with every sunken print,
At last embracing sleep in winter snows.

Let glory shine upon the seasons four:
Renewal, blossoming, harvest and rest;
Praise be to the Lady of wond'rous change
And may She bless all Nature's life.

In Memoriam Elementus

A bright inferno wrapped in glow
By soaring eagle, burning-wing'd,
Bespoke the clar'on call enflamed:
In Memoriam Elementus.

A frozen grove among the trees
Of darkened forest gentled by
Her hazel leaves and wild rose:
In Memoriam Elementus.

A gentle breeze laid all to waste
But peaceful eye of cyclone ring'd
Where twilight calm embraced the sky:
In Memoriam Elementus.

A flood of tides in landlocked race
To drench the heart with pouring rains
And usher out the unparched drought:
In Memoriam Elementus.

So raise your voice in fi'ry chant,
Lift your voice in rumbl'ing prayer,
Floating up in liquid longing:
In Memoriam Elementus.

Aerinewild Rose

iv. winter
Forlorn upon the ground there lies a rose,
A rose hued fi'ry reddish orange brown;
Brown darker than the earth beneath a frost,
Frosted petals, stamen, stem, and bud.

iii. autumn
Amongst the golden leaves there lies a rose,
A rose as red as ink'd boar come to life;
Life ripened like a drooping orchard fruit,
Fruit borne a burden now released in hope.

ii. summer
By fertile sylvan grove there lies a rose,
A rose so brightly grown it merely bows;
Bows its furled head before the Lady,
Lady of the sacred natural cycle.

i. spring
Within a greenish glade there lies a rose,
A rose at rest near ancient cairn reborn;
Reborn in precious Treekin of the Black,
Black warded from the twilight's darkened taint.

v. seasons
In Aerinewild wood there lies a rose,
A rose reborn by Goddess' holy hand;
Holy hand who brought one newfound glory,
New glory to the hazel's seed--Her rose.

Midwinter Lullaby

Sweet dreams, dear Mother;
Sleep well, wake soon
As bright snow cloaks the Sacred Grove
Beneath a shining, waning moon.

Fair dreams, dear Mother;
Sleep well, we pray
In Winter's ever tight embrace
For Your rebirth one sunlit day.

Calm dreams, dear Mother;
Sleep well, take rest
With fi'ry reddish rose in hand
And care by Valnurana's best.

Quick dreams, dear Mother;
Sleep well, fly through
Demeter's fall of hazel leaves
To pierce the shrouded veil anew.

Dream well, dear Mother;
The children of Your heart await
Your golden wreath of faithful change
To turn again and welcome fate.