Seeking Quicksilver

I once sat sagely
Beneath the tree
And focused on what
Was and wasn’t me
The deep gouged bark
Pressed into my back
I looked up at my oak
Sea of green on black
Branches swaying like
Snakes in the sky
I found myself there
And in my mind’s eye
Noticed I was travelling
And yet sitting still
Body patiently waiting
As the silver soul will
Go travelling off
With the spirits and sprites
Leave day down below
And travel into night
Landing in the dark
My wings disappear
Wrapped all in shadows
The bright ones appear
Surround me laughing
With their glowing Fae lights
Teeth and claws hiding
Behind masks of delight
And I smile truly
As I become me
My human dissolving
And I shed it with glee
Fingers grow longer
And nails and hair
Teeth become sharper
I am more aware
Feeling him near me
Wandering thrill
Knowing his heart
Beats for mine still
We gaze in the waters
Formed by the dew
Our futures entwining
Past and present too
I reach towards him
And he towards me
His eyes quicksilver
An ocean unseen
Since the dawn of time
And far beyond then
Dancing my shadows
Arora tinged skin
Licking that spark
At the centre of self
And it blazes brightly
Flamed serpentine elf
All becomes brighter
Such colours appear
Swirling around me
To hold me right here
Be one forever and
Never look back
Feeling such wholeness
Not that I lack
Something I can’t quite
Fathom or grasp
The fear of it spasms
The death rattle rasps
And that dull ache
Returns with such force
I remember what was
As time takes its course
And I find myself sitting
Beneath that oak tree
Wondering what was
And what wasn’t me

(c) AM Hunter 2016

About the poem

The Price of Love

Written for and dedicated to Dawn Isodora (http://dawnisidora.com/) in thanks for her beautiful beads and her wonderful awesome self. Thank you for being part of my life x

She searches the world for the perfect bead
To suit her purpose her devotional need
Sews them together with such loving care
A divine gift for someone to wear
Shares them with pride her heart open wide
But then comes the part that she likes the least
Someone enquires how much for this piece

What price can I put on love?
Does it have to cost the stars above?
I work to live but I live to serve
What price do I deserve?

What price can I put on love?
Does it have to cost the stars above?
I work to live but I live to serve
What price do I deserve?

She holds herself with such loving grace
Shares it all within sacred space
Gives all she can she has so much to share
With her community and others who care
A pillar so strong her arms so long
And when people ask why she gives so much
She smiles and says with a whispered hush

What price can I put on love?
Does it have to cost the stars above?
I work to live but I live to serve
What price do I deserve?

What price can I put on love?
Does it have to cost the stars above?
I work to live but I live to serve
What price do I deserve?

Her beautiful beads call out to me
Her heart, her will and devotion I see
But there is no price or tag anywhere
So I seek her out to ask how much for her fare
Her face starts to sink I start to think
Money’s too cold and it’s just not enough
So I give you this song and it’s filled with love

Cause what price can you put on love?
Does it have to cost the stars above?
You work to live but you live to serve
And love’s the price that you deserve

What price can we put on love?
Does it have to cost the stars above?
We work to live but we live to serve
And love’s the price that we deserve

What price can we put on love?
Does it have to cost the stars above?
We work to live but we live to serve
And love’s the price that we deserve
Yes love’s the price that we deserve

Listen to the song The Price of Love

© AM Hunter 2016

Persephone

Written for and dedicated to my beloved brother F on the renewal of his vows

Walk with me and take my hand
And I’ll step you through the seasons on a tour Grande
Spring and Summer Autumn and through winter too
Such secrets that I hold and I’ll share them all with you

Walk with me and let’s go right now
We can open up this door I will show you how
It may not seem so now but I’m offering you a choice
You can remain silent or you can find your voice

Persephone you whispered Persephone
That’s what you called when you first encountered me
You wanted truth and knowledge you wanted to be free
So I held out my hand and I drew you to me

Walk with me through the realms I love
The one that’s down below and the one that’s up above
Take a look around and tell me what you see
Tear that veil from your eyes and such visions are released

Walk with me through the darkest depths
You think you’ve hit the bottom but you haven’t been there yet
No matter how far you fall I always will be there
Just hold out your hand and you’ll know how much I care

I remember long ago when I was like you were then
All young and innocent till he snatched me from my mother’s heart
Just like I snatched you from yours
When you whispered

Persephone you whispered Persephone
That’s what you called when you first encountered me
You wanted truth and knowledge you wanted to be free
So I held out my hand and I drew you to me

So walk with me and take my hand
And I’ll step you through the seasons on a tour Grande
Spring and Summer Autumn and through winter too
Such secrets that I hold and I’ll share them all with you

Walk with me and let’s go right now
We can open up this door I will show you how
It may not seem so now but I’m offering you a choice
You can remain silent or you can find your voice

Persephone you whispered Persephone
That’s what you called when you first encountered me
You wanted truth and knowledge you wanted to be free
So I held out my hand and I drew you to me

Persephone you whispered Persephone
That’s what you called when you first encountered me
You wanted truth and knowledge you wanted to be free
So I held out my hand and I drew you to me

Listen to the song Persephone

© AM Hunter 2016

 

About the song

Facebook Blues

I look at my facebook
And I see bad news all day
I look at my facebook
And I see bad news all day
No angry emoticons
Are gonna drive that news away

People in West Papua
Are cut down for standing up
People in West Papua
Are cut down for standing up
Politicians’ heads are buried
Anonymous has had enough

The grand old reef is dying
All for a lump of coal
That grand old reef is dying
And all for a lump of coal
Gotta wonder sometimes
If politicians have a soul

School kids are bullied
Cause they tried to be themselves
School kids are bullied
Cause they tried to be themselves
Conservatives are worried
That Safe Schools mean they’ll fry in Hell

They’re logging the old forests
And those possums don’t have no home
They’re logging the old forests
And those possums don’t have no home
Well if they keep on logging
Well soon all be all dead old bones

Can’t go to the bathroom
Unless I’m what they want me to be
Can’t go to the bathroom
Unless I’m what they want me to be
Ain’t gonna let that stop me
Cause all I’m trying to do is pee

Children thrown in prison
Cause they’re fleeing something bad
Children thrown in prison
Cause they’re fleeing something bad
No ‘mount of paranoia
Is gonna stop me from holding their hand

I look at this road I’m walkin’
And I ask if I have liberty
I look at this road I’m walkin’
And I ask if I have liberty
I’m tied up in knots from tryin’
Lucifer won’t you set me free

Gonna set facebook on fire
And release all these chains that bind
Gonna set facebook on fire
And release all these chains that bind
Turn awareness into passion
It’s up to us to help our lights to shine

Listen to Facebook Blues

© AM Hunter 2016

Singing with the Sues

Witchcamps are from the Reclaiming Tradition, and have been happening in Australia for around five years now. At CloudCatcher Witchcamp this year I joined Suzanne Sterling and Sue Dunwoody to learn more about chant writing and techniques for singing.

Over four sessions we learned about the importance of warming up and cooling down your voice, various tips for improving vocal range and stamina without damaging your voice, and different ways of constructing chants and small songs.

This includes:
• beginning with some lines of writing, choosing a line or two and using that to base a song around (see Compassion be here now) ;
• beginning with a tune and finding words for the tune (see Signs of Autumn);
• using trance as a basis for writing a song or chant (see Finding my voice);
• focusing on devotion to a deity (see Anpu/Anubis);
• basing a chant on a specific line obtained from elsewhere (see Step into the Mystery); and
• focusing on current events and what needs to be changed (see Chant for Change).

I love writing songs and singing, so the path was wonderful for me to explore my technique and push at some edges. I found myself feeling quite vulnerable doing this in front of people, which had an interesting impact on my voice. Best of all, I came away with several chants, some of which I quite like!

The Anpu devotional song I recorded at camp, and you can tell the difference if you listen to that song in comparison to the others.

[CloudCatcher, photo by Luke Brohman 2015: http://www.cloudcatcherwitchcamp.com.au/]

Step into the Mystery

Step into the mystery
Through the serpent gate
Teeth and claw and
Hoof and jaw and
Death and life await

Step into the mystery
Walk the hidden path
Light and gleams
Of eyes unseen
As shadows dance and laugh

Step into the mystery
Which way will you choose
The way you see
May just not be
And maybe you will lose

Step into the mystery
Right into this ring
The world you know
May decide to go
And leave you wandering

Step into the mystery
Tell me what you see
Can’t trust your eyes
They might tell lies
And then where would you be

© A M Hunter 2016