marlene mountain
from the mountain
one-line haiku sequence
january 2 1990

rites of

rites of wompassages and croning invitations a month early
the cabin unsafe uncomfortable
how to do it and how to wait for some help to do it
son gets 5 dollars an hour
six beds carried up the hill who is coming
twice to town to get unknown carpets
the chimney crumbling more pipe to go out the window
refrigerator hardly moveable
tools scattered everywhere mice still around
cold air through seen & unseen cracks
mind changed carpet rearranged alone my foot as tool
rye planted the muddy road
hay in a wheelbarrow up the steep hill in flurries
pain in my foot bone for days
sheets blankets salt pepper toilet paper what else
outhouse almost ready
temperature 0 degrees or 15 below or 10
snow all around
don't worry the witch says there will be no icy roads
who will come anyone
they will come who can't not come don't worry she says
so cold in the house impossible to think
this weather forecast that one another one all different
the responsibility
plumbing freezes then water gushes & floods the bathroom
the cold warmer and warmer
plane 4 hours late with incensed witches and incense
the house warmer at midnight
less cold rain on the snow on the cabin road
the space more ready than i remember
feathers sage candles shells the circle begins
watching for woms from many directions
at the window nature more waiting for more wom nature
debbie hugs through the door
joking and laughing the cabin warmer and pretty
barbara huffing and puffing with white wine
maybe it will happen woms to celebrate ourselves
lucy and cindy and a clay drum
more vitals judith and kay from their mountain road
wet boots around the wood stove
in the dark kaaren with maiden ingrid maiden megan
and alice sister crone
to begin the directions of earth and sky
blessed be
we center deeper and deeper into earth with feet roots
up and through branches and leaves
with chakra color clouds into a journey for each of us
mother in my trance merges and separates
the hard floor no longer hard lost in the vision
in the circle each name said sung over and over
mother grandmother greatgrandmother who we can't remember
each with our moonarche story
our surprise of blood varied acceptance years to celebrate
welcome to womness
laughter and spirit of goddess and ourselves blend
food unwrapped and shared
a little wine debbie and i into the vodka
louise & linda with gifts and roses
the door open body heat the weather turned warm
outside a web of years to weave
wom names intertwined with the colored strands
a tree crone draped with webbing
from the 'cauldron' a fire comes alive
alice and i in the circle
strings and ribbons dangling to name and burn
to shed poverty into the flame
to shake off guilt the paring away of unwanteds
we are croned with gifts with respect
who of our mothers could have come here in this spirit
a few
community of woms for an evening
to carry in our hearts
the directions the center faced and acknowledged
candles snuffed
thank you pam and leanora this celebration of us
blessed be

Lynx spring/summer 1990