Mabon Meanderings

It is the time of the autumn equinox, and the harvest is winding down. The fields are nearly empty because the crops have been plucked and stored for the coming winter. Mabon is the mid-harvest festival, and it is the time of the second harvest of the year, and when the church celebrates with its harvest festival services.

But my thoughts turn to pagan images of the time of year, of the Greek legend of Persephone and Demeter, of the planets in the night sky, and the seasonal events, so this poem is more of a meandering route around a more pagan harvest festival

Mabon Meanderings

It is the golden Autumn, time of fall,
And a time for feasting in the hall:
Baskets of fruit, blackberry pies,
Warming meals in darkening skies;
Autumn leaves turn brown and gold,
A sign of times: the earth grows old;
As the apples fall, it’s cider time:
A warming drink in cooling clime;
The apple crusher now has juiced,
As wood thrush gently goes to roost ;
The time of rest, of nature’s sleep:
Persephone's promise now to keep;
Demeter's grief, the earth in chains,
And stronger winds, and heavy rains
So light the fires, and blankets warm,
A second harvest, before winter storm ,
Pick squashes, pumpkins, gourds, eggplant;
And time has come for sacred chant:
Praise the setting sun, the eternal light,
Praise the purple sky, the dim twilight,
And red mars rising, of times of war,
As the last of sun gleams on the shore;
Jupiter in majesty, the glorious king,
The crystal spheres, that turn and sing,
And Saturn, sign of the ancient of days,
Guide through the darkness, all our ways;
Praise the balance: same dark and light:
And the sun by day, and the moon by night ;
And now we walk in the shadow of death,
The wind blows strong, like sacred breath;
Take up your staff, walk without fear:
Beneath stars above, the night so clear.