They are lovely, their Queendom bright
who light the sky through month and year,
who stir the sea in tide and heat,
who meet the land in cloud, and rain, and rest.
It all begins, the year not dawned,
the Sun has gone, our Moon grown old,
the cold has taken, mists have cleared,
the world awaits, awaits, awaits…
and then…
At Dark of New Dark, birth of Sun,
so comes the one to reign as queen,
to shine and warm the world—not yet:
she waits unseen, but from the womb, just born.
*
Dark of the month: new moon
*
New Dark: Dec-Jan
At Rising next, of Sun Appears
she hears a plea: the soil aches;
she makes new rays, the clouds alight,
and white the sky, her face yet veiled, til soon…
*
Rising of the month: first quarter
*
Sun Appears: Jan-Feb
At Peak of Fields Thaw comes her touch,
and such an air, so warm a scent
is sent to greet her, now with child:
our old Moon gone, a lonely time, yet hope!
*
Peak of the month: full moon
*
Fields Thaw: Feb-Mar
*
Old Moon gone: the moon is reborn at Winter’s end
At Rains Come Rising, she is near,
not clear, the clouds so heavy sigh;
the sky that bore the sea now rains,
the Sun grows round, she hides, her hour close…
*
Rains Come: Mar-Apr
*
Sun grows round: the Sun is pregnant with her daughter
At Dark of Rains Yield, First Moon born!
Now warm compassion, thin Sun-veil bright:
alight through Winter, revealed in Spring,
her young Moon marks the hours of her reign.
*
Rains Yield: Apr-May
*
Hours of her reign: the months of the year
At Fields Sown Rising, furrowed Earth,
dispersing clouds, round flying Moon:
she looms, she rises, tides swell high;
this while we rest, our work so blessed, we sing.
*
Fields Sown: May-Jun
At Peak of Sun’s Peak, ascendant Sun:
the mother gives, most generous one;
our Moon her daughter, rejoices bright!
Ignite the dancing fires, share her light!
*
Sun’s Peak: Jun
At Fields Thirst Passing, fierce her gaze
that stays the seas til tides recede,
for cedes our Moon her sky, withdraws,
so soft her heart—her seas must take the sky…
*
Passing of the month: last quarter
*
Fields Thirst: Jun-Jul
At Dark of Storms Break, seas arise:
her skies fall dark, spark bright, resound;
the ground awakes—her scent, her life,
revived at touch of rain—her thirst is sated!
*
Storms Break: Jul-Aug
At Passing next, Fields Ripen, blush
with colors full, and fruit and seed:
Great Sleep draws near as breezes cool;
our Moon looms large—we gather what is needed.
*
Fields Ripen: Aug-Sep
*
Great Sleep: the Winter months
At Peak of Winds Rise, year at dusk:
in gusts, with rattling husk and branch
we dance, our labor past, we sigh;
at Height of Great Moon, so our Sun retires.
*
Winds Rises: Sep-Oct
*
Height of Great Moon: the harvest moon
At Frost Takes Passing, stores are full,
the whole land quiet, footsteps crisp,
and mists shroud all—the world may sleep:
weep not! Our Moon still keeps her mother’s fires!
*
Frost Takes: Oct-Nov
At Dark of Old Dark, old Sun gone:
long beloved night makes new;
to womb embrace our Light returns,
emerges soon, but wait, first wait, be still…
*
Old Dark: Dec
*
Old Sun gone: the Sun is reborn on the Winter solstice
For so it ends, all breath drawn in, and then…
begins again: from dark of womb, the breath of all!
*
Dark of womb: Old Dark and New Dark, also known as Great Dark
Caelan Rowan McCuen 