Virgin,

       – warrior of the spirit,

       urging me on

       calling forth my green shoots

singing them out of the darkness.

       in love with this new life

       no-one can distract you.

Yet you do not curse the darkness

       you know it and trust it.

…

After the storm, the tempest, the destruction,

       in the compost,

Is there a will to live?

       something to grow?

From whence will come the mighty forest?

Where does it begin?

…

Artemis, great Virgin Goddess

       of the hibernating bear who wakes in the Spring

              of the deer whose antlers regrow so fast

…

Protect our spirits, our will to life

       tend the Flame within us.

oOo

Glenys Livingstone, February 1995

NOTES:

1.The Goddess quality of Virgin is re-storied in this essay: Restoring Her as Creative Triplicity: the Urge to Be by Glenys Livingstone Ph.D.

2. The image of Artemis and the Great Bear is used with permission of the artist Cynthia Baxter:  www.mandalanetdesign.com