Underflow

Dionysos, god who sees to the center
of being, god who stands on the edges,
whose arrival is sudden and swift, I call to you.
Dionysos, granter of revelations,
granter of pleasure and delight, the transport
of the spirit is yours to give. You know the way
to the soul, you hold the key to understanding.
Dionysos, guide me through uncertainty,
show me the comfort of the dark, of the night.
I pray to you, show me how to seek my nature,
open my heart to meaning, lead me to truth.

Clear-eyed Athena, unrivaled in wisdom,
daughter of Zeus and Metis whose craft and wit
excelled among the mighty Titans: Athena,
I pray to you. Wise in all things you are, goddess;
your cunning and guile are well known. In time of war
you have no equal in tactics or in strategy;
many armies have you guided to victory.
In time of peace your blessings fall on those whose work
is of the mind--friend of the philosopher,
the scientist, the student. Advisor of kings,
patron of clever heroes and bold-hearted
adventurers, defender of the thinker,
mistress of reason and understanding, goddess
to whom a strong arm and a sharp sword are nothing
without the sense to wield them well and the insight
to know when words are worth more than weapons.
Athena, grant me a sound mind and steady temper,
bless me with good judgment, show me the long view.

I call to you, bright Apollo, son of Zeus
and gentle-natured Leto, god whose many gifts
have enriched our lives, skillful maker of music,
crafter of words whose poetic might brings wonder
to the world of men. Shining Apollo, master
of the Muses, inspiration in art and song
is yours to give. I pray to you, O Phoebus,
touch my soul with beauty, touch my heart with light,
grant me the vision to transcend the self,
grant me the spirit to share what I see.

Selene, white-armed mistress of the shining moon,
the silver crescent crowns your ebon hair; cloaked
in darkness you cross the cold night sky, O goddess.
To you, O Selene, I offer my greeting,
my praise, and my thanks for your many gifts.

I pray to Artemis, noble-hearted daughter
of Zeus, ruler of the mountain and the wood,
roamer in the wilderness. Potnia Theron
were you named of old, lady of the beasts, mistress
of the animals. Under your care are the creatures
of the field and the forest, the sea and the sky.
I pray to you, Artemis, keep safe those helpless ones
who live their lives upon the earth, shield them from harm,
defend them from those who would destroy them, guide them
to flee and to hide from perils and foes. Goddess,
Artemis, I pray to you, shelter these wild ones.

Slim-ankled Artemis, free-footed, wild-haired girl,
with steps swift and silent you run through the wood,
your bow at the ready, your shafts sharp and deadly.
Far-shooting Artemis, keen of eye and strong of arm,
your aim ever true, you take your prey, goddess,
with a single strike. Artemis, I pray to you
as I begin my hunt--may my eyes be clear,
may my hand be steady, may the shots I fire
reach my target and no other, may any kill be quick.
I am grateful, goddess, for the meat on my table.
I am grateful, goddess, for the time I spend
in the cold, in the wood, hearing the silence;
I am grateful, goddess, for the time I spend
in your world. Grant that I take on this work
with honest intent, grant that I feel the weight
of what I do, grant that I honor the lives
that feed me. Mistress of the hunt, I pray to you.

I pray to you, Euthenia, rich-tressed daughter
of Hephaistos and fair Aglaia, goddess
who grants the gift of abundance, that treasure
of certainty desired by all. I call to you,
Euthenia; I ask your favor. I pray to you
that we never hunger, that we never thirst,
that we ever have enough. I pray to you,
O goddess, free us from the fear of want,
grant to us the comfort of sufficiency.

Clever Ariadne, child of seagirt Crete,
wise and cunning one whose agile mind finds purchase
on the frailest of notions, the slightest of signs,
goddess who turns, and turns, and turns again
until the way is clear. Ariadne, goddess,
I am blinded by expectation, shackled
by experience, bound to the proven and the known.
Open my mind to all that is possible,
light for me the paths long abandoned, long unknown.

Clever Ariadne, fairest daughter of Crete,
wise one, passionate one, goddess who knows much
of the heart and its demands, who woke all alone
on the white shores of Naxos, who was borne away
by wild-haired Dionysos to the high-reaching
halls of Olympos, to be his shining bride.
Graceful Ariadne, free-hearted one who dances
on the sand and in the temple, who knows the way
through any maze, who knows the way through any trouble.
Mistress of puzzles, mistress of answers, with wit
and with reflection you find the way to the self;
you find the way to the center and back again.

I praise the Fates, careful crafters of destiny,
daughters of Night, daughters of Necessity,
sparing ones, kind-hearted ones, relentless ones,
goddesses who grant to each one his portion,
mighty ones who hold in hand each mortal life,
a thread spun smooth and fine as a spider's web.
What is right, what is meet, is yours, O Moirae;
the power of Fate is the power of need,
the power of concord, the power of order.
The power of Fate is the power of death,
the power of life, each allotted as is fit.
Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos, goddesses wise
and ancient, who sing of what is, what was,
and of what will be, long-revered ones who in times
of old received libations of sweet honey,
I honor your calling, I thank you for your gifts.

I praise the fair-minded Furies, daughters of Ge,
daughters of starry-cloaked Ouranos her consort,
born of blood and betrayal. Your wrath falls upon
the oathbreaker, O righteous ones; your vengeance
is borne by the murderous, the villainous,
the faithless and the wicked. Couriers of justice,
harbingers of evil omen, curse-bearers,
gracious ones who demand from the wrongdoer
what penance is due, none can escape your swift
and certain sanction. Goddesses, I honor you.

Persephone of the new blossoms, companion
of the laughing nymphs, with whom you dance in flowered
fields, with whom you play at merry games. Goddess,
slim-ankled maid, fair and sweet as new spring blossoms,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.

Persephone, bearer of golden sheafs, bearer
of the fruit of the tree, corn-maiden who dwells
beneath the earth, who rises with the pale green shoots
each spring. Child of Demeter whose gifts are great,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.

Fair-haired Persephone, bride of noble Hades,
queen of the underworld, mindfully you tasted
the seed of the pomegranate, with love and care
you chose to bear that heavy crown. Persephone,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.

Good Persephone who makes welcome the dead
in the golden halls of Hades, kind-hearted one
whose grace it is that comforts those who have passed
from our world into your dark and distant realm,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.

Persephone, merciful maiden of the Mysteries,
friend of the happy dead who travel first to fair
Eleusis, who travel last to distant Elysion.
Rich-robed Persephone of ancient might, goddess,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.

Noble Hades, lord of the afterworld, upon
your head the shining helm that veils the one it crowns
in darkness, within your grasp the fearful staff
with which you split the world asunder. Hades,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.

Hades, holder of all the wealth within the world,
yours are all the priceless treasures buried in
the earth's deep bones, the silver and the gold,
the copper and the iron, the many-colored gems.
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.

Within your realm, O Hades, are treasures too
of life and abundance. The precious seeds of fruit
and grain, the soft black soil that clings to root and leaf,
without these gifts would mankind fail to flourish.
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.

Kindly host of the dead, receiver of all who pass
from the earth into your deep, abyssal realm,
granter of rest for the weary, sweet reunion
for those too long parted by your well-wrought gates.
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.

Fair-minded Hades, even-handed one who holds
in hand the lot of all whose earthly lives have ended.
The greatest of kings, the lowest of beggars,
all receive reward or sanction by your will.
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.

Saffron-cloaked Eos, goddess of day's dawning,
in darkness you wake each morn, with rosy fingers
you unbar the gates of heaven. Day-breaker,
day-bringer, well-crowned goddess of first light,
at ocean's edge you dwell, with gentle hand you drive
your chariot of gold, exultant your heart with pride
and joy in the shining-maned steeds that draw it.
Golden-armed Eos, mother of the four winds,
mother of the dawn-star, mother of the even-star,
glorious is your spirit, beautiful your form,
your arrival inspires awe in all who greet the sun.
I praise your beauty and honor your might.

I praise Persephone, child of thundering Zeus
and all-nourishing Demeter, bride of Hades
who holds in hand the wealth of the deep earth.
Persephone who dances in fields of flowers
with the laughing nymphs, garlanded in brilliant blossoms;
Persephone who wears the heavy crown of queen
in Hades' dark and sumptuous realm, gracious and serene;
Persephone who with bright-haired Demeter
guides the fortunate soul to fair Elysium.
Graceful goddess whose feet sink into the fertile
soil or silently step through Hades marble halls,
Persephone who passes between the worlds,
who turns from girlish games to womanly pursuits,
blooming and ripening with the seasons. Kindly
Persephone, sweet as honey, I honor you.

Well-honored Hestia, queen of the hearthfire,
first among the deathless ones, first are the offerings
you receive, first are the blessings you provide.
Hestia, holder of the household, upholder
of community, tender of the flame in every
home, every city, every place where we gather
together to live our lives. First you are in tales
long told, eldest and youngest child of old Cronos
and clever Rhea; first you are in holy rites,
first you are in family custom, first to take
from simple meal or lavish feast. Where bread is broken,
where welcome is warm, we know your might. O goddess.

Hera of the deep heart, beautiful goddess
whose true radiance would blind mortal eyes,
whose steps fall softly in the golden halls
of storied Olympos. In silks your fair form
is draped, O Hera, heavy with jewels is your crown,
the sweetest of perfumes surround you; in ancient
times you received the highest honors, the finest
of offerings were ever yours, your shining temples
stood across the land. Hera, defender of cities,
protector of marriage, champion of the love
that upholds a family, that cherishes a child,
you are the friend of those who hold the household dear.
Queen of the heavens, holder of the lotus staff,
the poppy and the pomegranate have you
in hand. Hera, supreme in dignity and grace,
unsurpassed in goodness and kindness, I praise you.

World-wandering Hekate, night-loving goddess,
dweller in darkness, bearer of torches, between
the realms you pass with ease, made welcome in each,
made mighty in each. Whenever we move from one
place, one time, one state of being to another,
you are there to comfort us. Whenever we enter
or leave this life, you are there to carry us.
Whenever we are in fear or in need, goddess,
you are there to sustain us. Thrice-blessed Hekate,
friend of frail and fragile mortals, I honor you.

Great Hades, master of the darkened deep,
master of the realm beneath our feet who hears
the echoes of our steps, who takes the echoes
of our lives. Hades, you know the need for an end
to life, you know the worth of a well-deserved rest,
you know the thanks of men and women weary
from long lives of worry and toil, you know the joy
of sweet reunion as friends long parted join
together once again within your storied land.
The dim and misty underworld is yours, O Hades;
yours are the Fields of Asphodel, yours the endless
pits of Tartarus in which are cast the wicked
and the vile. Yours too are the Fortunate Isles,
the land of fair Elysium where dwell the righteous
and the good. Hades, receiver of burnt offerings,
receiver of the blood of beasts, well-honored god:
in the end, all come to you. Hades, I praise you.

Eros, ancient one, youthful one, holder of souls,
opener of hearts, you give and take with the same
spirit, the same fury, the same deft hand. Eros,
child of passion, driving force of the universe,
yours is the face of desire, yours the strength of love,
in you we see the world as once it was, in you
we hear the voice of lovers joined as one. Eros,
child of chaos, brother of sweet harmony,
yours is the cord that binds our lives together,
yours the scourge that drives us where our bodies lead,
in you we find purpose, in you we seek solace.
Eros, in my blood and my tears I know you,
in my pulse I feel your might, your call to life
above all. I thank you for your many blessings.