Underflow

A Prayer to the Gods for the National Day of Prayer

2013-05-02T20:42:52Z

May Hestia, who warms the hearth and brightens the home,
who is ever first in the hearts of mankind,
be with us: we honor you and praise your might.

May great Zeus, bearer of the firebolt, granter
of rule to the worthy, upholder of the right,
be with us: we honor you and praise your might.

May peerless Hera, friend of those who seek the joy
of marriage, the solace of companionship,
be with us: we honor you and praise your might.

May grey-eyed Athena, protector of cities,
keeper of wisdom, who favors the virtuous,
be with us: we honor you and praise your might.

May Demeter of field and flower, mistress
of all that grows in the earth, founder of the feast,
be with us: we honor you and praise your might.

May golden Aphrodite, whose gift it is
to bring us together in love and compassion,
be with us: we honor you and praise your might.

May swift-footed Hermes, guide of words and meaning,
who clears the way for unity and understanding,
be with us: we honor you and praise your might.

May bright Apollo, lover of knowledge and beauty,
who keeps away all ill, who banishes all blight,
be with us: we honor you and praise your might.

May Artemis of the woodland, mistress of beasts,
guardian of all that is innocent and wild,
be with us: we honor you and praise your might.

May noble Persephone, queen of light and dark,
comfort of the sorrowing and the bereft,
be with us: we honor you and praise your might.

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Persephone

2012-01-09T07:55:20Z

Persephone, glorious goddess, fair one
with hair that flows like ripened grain, eyes that catch
the clear blue sky, a smile sweet yet shadowed,
O light-footed one who dances in flowered fields,
I praise you. Persephone, lovely one who knows
the feel of sun on skin, who knows as well the press
of cold stone against warm flesh, in the world
of the living, no maid is so alive as you.
In the world of the dead, Persephone, you reign
as queen, crowned with riches unsurpassed, enthroned
in splendor, honored above all others. Goddess,
child of the earth, bride of the darkness, I honor you.

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Litany to Persephone

2011-10-18T22:51:20Z

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.

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Persephone

2011-10-14T20:13:50Z

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.

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Persephone

2011-04-13T04:44:41Z

Fair-haired Persephone, daughter of Demeter,
friend of the nymphs, merry-hearted girls who dance
barefooted and play, carefree, in grassy fields,
wreathed in bright spring flowers. The joy of life is yours,
goddess, the comfort of sun on skin, the dear bonds
of friendship, the refuge of a mother's love.
Well-crowned Persephone, bride of noble Hades,
queen of the afterworld, clothed in fine silks, adorned
with jewels, enthroned in glory, friend to those who have
passed from this world into yours, advocate of the dead
and the wronged. Kindly Persephone, womanly one,
of transformation do you know much, of the ways
of the earth do you know much; of the life
after life do you know much. Gracious goddess,
friend of mortals, I praise you and thank you for your gifts.

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