Kiss of Darkness, Kiss of Light

Kiss of Darkness, Kiss of Light
By Muninn's Kiss
(2012-12-30)

Kiss of darkness, kiss of light,
Kiss of coldness, kiss of heat,
Kiss of dreaming, kiss of stars,
Kiss most innocent, at the heart.

Kiss of secrets, kiss of ways,
Kiss of lost things, kiss burned away,
Kiss so deep, kiss so bright,
Kiss most intimate, at my core.

Kiss of beginnings, kiss of all ways,
Kiss most storming, kiss of change,
Kiss to remember, kiss of Fate,
Kiss most knowing, all I know.

Kiss of dawn, red rimmed with pink,
Kiss of sunlight, as west meets east,
New beginnings, and magic spawned,
Kiss of awakening, by dawn's early light.

Kiss of noonday, of brightest light,
Kiss of sunlight, across the land,
At fulfillment, and solar heat,
Kiss of wakefulness, by noon's bright light.

Kiss of dusk, violet rimmed red,
Kiss of starlight, as the sun sets,
Time of fading, but secrets wake,
Kiss of changes, by dusk's last flame.

Kiss of midnight, of blackest night,
Kiss of moonlight, in heart of night,
Time for witching, and power strong,
Kiss of magic, by night's dark cloak.

Kiss of power, kiss of strength,
Kiss of secrets, kiss of lies,
Kiss of wisdom, kiss of truth,
Kiss me now, time between times.

The Hunter's Lamb

The Hunter's Lamb
A Poem of Samhain
By Muninn's Kiss

On a black altar on All Soul's Night,
The Wounded Serpent makes last call,
He will not go down without a fight,
But he knows not enough will be hid all,
He howls defiance to the coming night,
But the Gates are open, he can hear the call,
The Horned Child pauses, about to strike,
He wants this death, he wants this fight,
A raised high sword, like a lightning flash,
But he's still too slow for he missed the point,
A female figure all dressed in black,
A blood red veil, and a living knife,
With one fell slash, she takes a life,
Who was once her groom, now a sacrifice,
Blue blood runs from the Serpent's throat,
His time is down, it is time to rest,
And with a knife still wet and a heavy heart,
She takes the arm of the fair Horned Child,
She leads him off to be the light,
Through winter's darkness and the coldest night,
And the Serpent rests far beneath the Well,
A fitful slumber of dreams of spring,
He'll awake again, and swim the Well,
A groom once more to a fickle Bride,
But for now in darkness that is but a dream,
With the Horned Child the victor upon the throne,
Through winter's blanket and the barren land,
The Lord of Beasts and the Hunter's Lamb.

A Mortal Wound

A Mortal Wound

A Poem of the Autumn Equinox and Michaelmas
By Muninn's Kiss

The Horned Child rises ever strong,
Like a mighty angel with a sword of steel,
He ventures forth in search of prey,
Looking for a Serpent with feathered wings,
He finds him then, near end of life,
The Winged Serpent weak, while the Child is strong,
He stalks his prey desiring the kill,
He takes his time for the hour is nigh,
In the early snow, he finds the trail,
The autumn's chill soon slows the snake,
The Child approached, so full of faith,
Of how this will end, of what's at stake,
He raises his sword and makes the blow,
A mortal wound that can't be healed,
But the time is short, and has not come,
The Wounded Serpent does get away,
The Child was wrong, the death wasn't sure,
But he trudges one, still on the trail.

A Child of Blood

A Child of Blood

A Poem of Lugh's Day

By Muninn's Kiss

A child is born,

A child is given,

On the feast in fair Lugh's name.

A child of light,

A child of blood,

A Horned Child is given birth.

Well of the Womb,

Water and darkness,

Born into the bright light of day.

Shining fair,

A Hunter born,

Of starlight and mystic earth.

Hunter and hunted,

Herder and rancher,

An animal both wild and free.

Born for the sword,

Born for the bow,

Born to be the Winged Serpent's death.

A child is born,

A child is given,

On the feast in fair Lugh's name.

A child of light,

A child of blood,

A Horned Child is given birth.

The Falling Leaf Moon

The Falling Leaf Moon
By Muninn's Kiss (2012-12-15)

The leaves are falling to the ground,
As the heart above is sunward bound,
Fair Satevis the Red in sun's fair light,
As the great hunter begins his fight,
The leaves bright colour now fades to brown,
And fall from heaven to earth's dark mound,
Chilly breezes and first tongue of frost,
What we still see will soon be tossed,
And winter is coming will be the call,
As it will always be and is every Fall.

The Changing Moon

The Changing Moon

By Muninn's Kiss (2012-11-05)

The scales are tipping as the leaves change shade,

The scales are tipping in Autumn's rays,

The red and orange, the yellow, green,

Bright colours showing as the temperatures change,

Third moon of Autumn, third harvest moon,

Each leaf changing and calling forth,

Life hangs in the balance, the weighing scales,

As Autumn fades to Winter's gale.

The Sagebrush Moon

The Sagebrush Moon
By Muninn's Kiss (2012-09-04)

As the yarrow fades, and sagebrush blooms,
Across the rolling plains,

And the Yarrow Moon, is set and long gone,
The Sagebrush Moon has come,

And the timbre loud, of the koonj's call,
Echoes down from above,

The maiden so fair, with her golden hair,
Bright shining as the sun,

Golden ear of grain, that star burning bright,
Bright sage that fills the night,

The sagebrush which stands, upon the wide plains,
Guardian of the plains,

It perks up its head, shows a golden main,
It blooms across the plains,

As temperatures drop, and summertime falls,
And summer fades so fast,

And the Sagebrush Moon, with its middle blue,
Calls Autumn to the fore.

The Yarrow Moon

The Yarrow Moon
By Muninn's Kiss

Out of fire like a soaring phoenix,
The Yarrow Moon rises up to the sky,
Temperatures rising, still getting stronger, 
But soon will fade like all things do.

The seeds are forming, many blooms are gone,
But the yarrow reflects the light of dawn,
As grass turns golden then prairie brown,
And the buzz of bees is replaced by wings.

The second moon of Summer shines,
The little king, the lion's heart,
Summer star, two sets of twins,
Consuming lion that eats your heart.

As the Yarrow Moon begins to fade,
As the Fire Moon had led the way,
The heat begins to slowly drop,
As Summer fades and as moons change.

The Fire Moon

The Fire Moon
By Muninn's Kiss (2012-09-03)

The Fire Moon, rises in the East,
The solar tongue, the summer heat,
She spreads her wings and rises fast,
Her forked tongue, her fiery wrath.

The Flower Moon is gone and spent,
Her gentle form, her lithe white hand,
In her place a fire rages,
Burning trees and scorching heat.

Beneath two donkeys braying loudly,
Sending giants running and heroes calling,
Crab claws snapping and forked tongues hissing,
A fire burning the forests bright.

She spears her wings and rises fast,
Her forked tongue, her fiery wrath,
It burned so brightly but fades so fast,
And leaves us wanting like the Fire Moon

An Oath

An Oath

By Muninn's Kiss

I swear an oath by Wyoming wind,

By Wyoming Land and Wyoming Sky,

By rock and wood and barbed wire iron,

By sagebrush plains and lodge pole hills,

By hawk's strong wings and pronghorn hooves,

By wapiti antlers and bison horns,

By mule deer velvet and whitetail rears,

By spiders, squeeters, and hornet nests,

By river valleys and quartzite peaks,

By granite, jade, and golden sand,

By Wyoming Land and Wyoming Sky,

I swear an oath by Wyoming wind.

A Story Told

A Story Told

By Muninn's Kiss (2012-08-17)

A figure stands in red and black,

Before a black stone altar.

She does not move, does not act,

Does not so much as stir.

The deed's been done, the knife has dropped,

The thread is already cut.

A life is done, the story ends,

Her role has all been done.

A figure stands all in black,

Dark robes hide his face.

His bone white hands as cold as death,

Stretch forth to welcome home.

A book is open in one wraith hand,

Chained firmly to his wrist.

His wings outstretched as black as night,

As he reads the final words.

The knife is sheathed, the book is closed,

The cave quiet like the grave.

The traveler waits for she knows not what,

Before the Gates of Death.

A laughter comes from a blood red veil,

Joined from a pure black hood.

Skeletal hands reach out, pull wide,

The Gates that all must face.

Blinding light, brighter than the sun,

That blind the traveler.

Darkest dark, that can be felt,

Brings a chill to every bone.

First one step, and then another,

She walks toward the gap.

And slips on past to death's embrace,

Where Light and Darkness merge.

Endings

Endings

By Muninn's Kiss (2012-08-24)

For every beginning,

There is an end.

For every ending,

Things begin again.

A job begun will reach conclusion,

Each birth will lead to death.

Every up will soon come down,

Every drop will go up again,

Every laugh will lead to sorrow,

Every tear will lead to joy.

What is lost will soon be found,

What is found will soon be lost.

What is given will be taken,

What is taken will come again.

There's a time to build up,

There's a time to tear down.

There's a time to live,

There's a time to die.

A sword once broken,

Will be forged anew.

A clothe that's torn,

Will be woven true.

A heart that's broken,

Will find new love.

A job that's ended,

Will lead to more.

In each creation,

Destruction sleeps,

In each destruction,

Is a seed released.

For every beginning,

There is an end.

For every ending,

Things begin again.

Beneath a Bright Blue Moon I Sit

Beneath a Bright Blue Moon I Sit
By Muninn's Kiss (2012-09-01)

Beneath a bright blue moon I sit,
Upon the cold stone ground,
Bright white light from up above,
Two that now are as one,
Shining down she lights my world,
The stone and dirt and plants,
A single light that's burning bright,
That blots on out the stars.

Far below in a well of black,
Two lights shining bright,
Two lights dance in darkest night,
Beneath the cold cold ground,
Shining up they meet her light,
These Twins that dance and play,
What's one above is two below,
And ever more shall be.

In between on solid ground,
I sit and watch the light,
The two below the one above,
That lights the darkest night,
The two they dance beneath the ground,
The serpent in the well,
The one looks down at sleeping earth,
Her belly full with them.

Lady of the Lake

Lady of the Lake

By Muninn's Kiss

There are few places,

Sweet Sumner Maiden,

Where I Feel you half as much.

Soft light of fading dusk,

Reflecting off gentle waves,

Of the deep dark well of the lake.

I call to you, Sweet Nimue,

The gentle waves rippling,

Like your hair in a gentle breeze.

I call to you, Sweet Maiden,

The fiery sunset blazing,

Like the gold and fire of your hair.

I call to you, Sweet Nimue,

The deep water, black and quiet,

Like the dark depths of your secrets.

I call to you, Sweet Maiden,

The gentle breeze across water,

Your soft breath on my skin.

I call to you, Sweet Nimue,

The waters so gentle I see a sword,

Raised up by your hand, O Lady of the Lake.

I call to you, Sweet Maiden,

Send your wind,

Rising across the water,

A soft breeze,

A mighty gale,

Raise the wind,

My sweet Nimue,

Lady of the Lake,

Corn Maiden,

Bringer of Wind,

Consuming fire,

The wind across your lake,

The power of your joy,

The power of your anger.

I call to you, Sweet Nimue,

Sweet Maiden,

My Lady of the Lake.

If I Were to Die in Battle

If I Were to Die in Battle
By Munin's Kiss

If I were to die in battle,
Who would invite me home?
Would it be Odin or would it be Freyja,
Whose hall I'd be taken to?

Would Odin want me,
Would I make the cut?
Am I the type he'd want,
To be fighting by his side?

Would Freyja have me,
Would I feast in her halls?
Would she find me worthy,
To lend her my sword?

The two they stand together,
Ready to make the choice,
Him with his initiator,
Her initiator with her.

As the Valkyries fly me closer,
I can't help but think,
Is it them that make the decision,
Or was it always my choice.

From Blessed Womb and Serpent's Seed

From Blessed Womb and Serpent's Seed
A Summer Solstice Poem
By Muninn's Kiss

Summer's heat has come again,
And with it a growing womb.
The union formed of May's young flowers,
Begins to start to show.
The risen lord's seed runs strong,
The laughing queen was ripe.
In summer's heat, her sweat is sweat,
The warmth that forms within.
She smiles sweetly in Solstice sun,
Spring's rain fades away.
The white veil gone, her golden hair,
Darkens to chestnut brown.
New moon's time, a darkened moon,
A bonfire burning high.
The dancers dance, round and round,
A fever burning high.
The Horned King sits close by her side,
His smile as big as hers.
The summer sun it rises bright,
Round like her growing womb.
The moon moves on and starts to grow,
Just like her unborn Child.
Summer's heat has come again,
And with it a growing womb.
The womb will grow to harvest time,
The Child that will be born.
From blessed womb and serpent's seed,
The Mother of all life.

Sub Rosa

Sub Rosa
By Muninn's Kiss

Around the Altar, the roses lay,
Blood red pedals and black of night,
A black stone Altar, absorbing light,
Dark stone tower, a hollow cave,
Upon the Altar, they laid me down,
In black, black robes my hands are tied,
Head laid back, stretched out flat,
Two coins are placed upon my eyes,
Beneath the gold, in shadows black,
The Twins they dance and in my laugh,
She stands above me, her robes jet black,
Her veil of red so loosely hangs,
A dagger black she raises high,
Blackthorn rod it passes forth,
Down and down comes the blade,
My life it passed but was long long gone,
Upon the Altar where they had me lie,
Among the roses both black and red.

Howling Gale

Howling Gale
By Muninn's Kiss

A forked tongue is in the East,
She sings to my in the early Dawn,
Of the Sun's how Fire and the morning Dew,
Of red, red Rock and a howling Gale.

Her Mountains rounded, the sweetest Breasts,
Her water hidden down in the Cress,
Her light is blinding, the morning Sun,
Her hair is tossed in a howling Gale.

In the West a straight tongue sleeps,
He rises late and strongly grows,
His Mountains sharp of granite strong,
His voice a roaring, howling Gale.

His hair is Lodgepole, growing strong,
His shoulders sharp and granite strong,
From among him strong rivers flow,
And from his mouth, a howling Gale.

For Power flows from West to East,
A howling Gale that never stops,
Over Mountains and across prairie wide,
And back to Mountains, his morning Bride.

There is a union, where West meets East,
A copulation, a uniting Power,
In the valley, the very core,
Where Power blossoms forevermore.

And there is sits, the seat of Power,
Where West meets East down in the bower,
Where Northern Cold and Southern Heat,
Come together in the howling Gale.

The Aspen Moon

The Aspen Moon
By Muninn's Kiss

The barron earth seems barron still,
The snow is gone but green lost still,
But on the Aspens, the catkins grow,
The male, the female, each in the wind,
The grow and grow and ask to be seen,
A sign of life in a barron land,
The males they dangle, the females erect,
A source of life, before the leaves,
Winter's gone and Spring has rose,
The Aspen Moon approaches full,
A few small leaves upon the ground,
A strawberry, a flower, some blades of grass,
As the Apsen Moon begins to wain,
Fast rushes Springtime just like the Bull,
The catkins promise, the leaves fulfill,
New life, new living, the Aspen Moon.

The Flower Moon

The Flower Moon
By Muninn's Kiss

Each bud opens to meet the sun,
An ancient dance renewed again,
Under Flower's Moon and Dancing Twins,
Each flower opens, bright and full,
Yellows, whites, purples, blues,
Each standing out, each calling forth.
The fields of green, the brilliant leaves,
The water clear, the building clouds,
All has risen, all has rose,
All is growing, none still waits,
The world is full, the May Queen wed,
The Flower Moon wanes from full.

The Aspen's Song

The Aspen's Song
By Muninn's Kiss

Calm moving sounds of rustling leaves,
Aspen trees in Spring's strong winds,
They calm be, call me, bring me peace,
They only ask for me to sit for a bit,
Closed eyes and warn sun's kiss,
Sitting quietly lost in thought,
The Aspen's song the only sound,
A smile it plays across my lips,
My soul at rest, my soul at peace,
A sanctuary older than any church,
A grove of power, a grove of love,
Apart from all I sit so still,
But one with every leaf and twig,
Forever lost, forever found,
The Aspen's call, the Aspen's Song.

Rustles and Whispers in the Wind (2)

Rustles and Whispers in the Wind (2)
By Muninn's Kiss

Rustles and whispers in the wind,
Speak of secrets lost long ago,
Of power and might and holy fire,
Of crafting and training and hidden light,
Of creation, destruction, and all between,
The Aspen's rustle, the secret call,
All the secrets of the world,
Of Sun and Moon and Stars above,
Of Earth and Sky and Chthonic depths,
Of Sea and Mountains and Plains between,
Of Trees and Rocks and all the Beasts,
Of Iron and Copper and Stone and Wood,
Of all the secrets known to man,
And all that's lost beyond the pall,
What's known and forgotten and known once more,
Whispers to me in the moving leaves,
And all that is and all that was,
And all that could forever be,
Is there to hear by the truest heart,
Rustles and whispers in the wind.

Rustles and Whispers in the Wind

Rustles and Whispers in the Wind
By Muninn's Kiss

Wind rushing,
A mighty roar,
But silent as the grave.

No sound itself,
No sight itself,
Only movement.

But Aspen leaves,
And Aspen groves,
Moving, rustling,
Whispering, talking.

Each leaf a single voice,
Each branch a quiet chorus,
Each tree a mighty legion.

The grove a roaring,
Rushing, soaring,
Loud yet stilling,
Calm and peace.

Constant movement,
Loud but softly,
The Aspens lull me,
To my rest.

Tomes of Lore, Grimoires of Wisdom

Off and on over the last few years, I've posted book reviews and book related posts on various blogs.  They have always been mixed in with my other posts, just as my poetry often was.  A little over a year ago, I moved my poetry posting to Muninn's Laughter, to have it all in one place.  I've now done so with my esoteric book related posts as well.  I have imported the posts I have of that nature from both Blogger and LiveJournal, and plan to post more reviews and book related posts in the future.  The new blog is Tomes of Lore, Grimoires of Wisdom.

For reference, here are my blogs and webpages:

Across the Abyss (General):
http://muninnskiss.grimr.org (Blogger)
http://muninnskiss.wordpress.com (WordPress - Mirror of Blogger)
http://muninnskiss.livejournal.com (LiveJournal - Try to post everything here)
http://muninnskiss.tumblr.com (Tumblr - Miscellaneous)
http://tradwitch.com/component/option,com_myblog/blogger,muninnskiss/Itemid,38/ (Blog on The Traditionalist Witches Companion)

Muninns's Laughter ( Esoteric Poetry):
http://muninnslaughter.grimr.org (Blogger)
http://muninnslaughter.wordpress.com (WordPress - Mirror of Blogger)
http://muninnslaughter.tumblr.com (Tumblr - Mirror of Blogger)
http://hellopoetry.com/-muninns-kiss/ (Hello Poetry - Mirror of Blogger)

Tomes of Lore, Grimoires of Wisdom (Esoteric Books):
http://tomesoflore.grimr.org (Blogger)
http://grimoiresofwisdom.wordpress.com (WordPress - Mirror of Blogger)

Social:
http://www.facebook.com/muninnskiss (Facebook)
http://twitter.com/muninnskiss (Twitter)

Grimr:
http://www.grimr.org (Homepage)
http://www.facebook.com/Grimr.org (Facebook)
http://www.despoena.org (Home of Arcadian Mysteries)

FFF,
~Muninn's Kiss

The Willow Moon

The Willow Moon
By Muninn's Kiss

The leaves are coming, slowly budding,
The Aspen catkins are long past gone,
But on each willow branch buds are forming,
Pussy willows stand and face the dawn.

A world reborn, each day grows older,
A thousand branches each reborn,
The willows wait in pools of water,
On banks and marshes, low but full.

The barron winter is long past gone,
New life that started from the thaw,
Each branch, each tip, each growing twig,
The pussy willow cotton has come again.

The Aspen Moon has fled the world,
The Willow full and full of life,
Soon it will go as all moons do,
And the Willow Moon a lost memory.

The Risen Lord and Laughing Queen

The Risen Lord and Laughing Queen
A Beltaine Poem
By Muninn's Kiss

The wakened sleeper clothed in gold,
Warmed with Spring and rising sun,
Drapped in green and newborn leaf,
Who once had died but rose again.

Golden scales and raven hair,
Skin of blue and feathers fair,
Who began a journey by candler's flame,
And rose in glory in first leaf's show.

In comes his Bride the fair Corn Maid,
Whose blackened veil now glowing white,
Grass stains on her small bare feet,
And bloodied sword upon her back.

The dancers dance and singers sing,
Risen lord and laughing queen,
The snow has melted and green grows strong,
Winter then Spring give way to sun.

Veil of white over golden hair,
A cotton dress with playful tears,
Small feet dance as if on air,
She laughs in joy at his peacock flair.

Round they spin just like the year,
Celebrating life and new found love,
Love reborn from past the grave,
Youth and Maiden, lust and joy.

The time has come to start again,
A marriage feast and strong bond hands,
New life, new love, all is born,
Eternal love, past Death's cold hand.

Around the pole the ribbons fly,
Dancing round in lustful fun,
In honor to the fair Corn Maid,
And Peacock Lord reborn again.

Fear

Fear
By Muninn's Kiss

Oh, sweet lover,
How I adore you,
Yet how I dread you.

The lose of you,
Would be my death,
I need you more than life.

We dance around,
The dance of life,
You warn and I ignore.

But sometimes dear,
I heed your call,
And that is why I live.

Of Veils and Movements

Of Veils and Movements
By Muninn's Kiss

A heart black veil,
Quickly she dances,
First born,
An ancient youth,
Twirling round,
A black veil spining,
Playful dances,
Spinning youth.

A pure white veil,
Now she's walking,
Second born,
But mother of all,
Hand in hand,
Her consort-lover,
Sex and love,
and marriage vows.

A blood red veil,
Now she's standing,
Third born,
And oldest still,
All is done,
But none is finished,
Knife in hand,
The altar bare.

Reborn from Down Below

Reborn from Down Below
By Muninn's Kiss

Two months he swam,
Up through the well,
His scales flashing in the dark.

Twisting, turning,
Swimming, soaring,
Through the Veil of Worlds.

Into the light,
He pokes his head,
Sun flashing of his scales.

Reborn at least,
After Winter's grave,
Reborn from down below.

Two months ago,
He heard the call,
His Bride invoked his name.

And now he rises,
From the grave,
To live and love again.

Heat of sun,
In Spring's cold wind,
Coiled on a rock.

Prepare he does,
For May's fine feast,
And Marriage to his Bride.

Infinite Webs of Fate and Time

Infinite Webs of Fate and Time
By Muninn's Kiss

At the centre of the web the spider sat,
And felt the wind blow by.
Each gust, each gale, rocked her web,
And she sat calmly by.
Each strand went out from where she sat,
She knew where each one went.
One for Fate and two for Time,
And three for everyone.
When each one spoke, when each one sang,
She knew from hence it came.
She listened calmly to the wind,
And listened to each strand.
Those that taught and those that learned,
And those that truly saw.
The web is many strands she knew,
But knew the web was one.
And the expanse of web around,
Began with just one thread.

At the Gates of Dusk

At the Gates of Dusk
By Muninn's Kiss

I stand alone at the Gates of Dusk,
A fire blazing in the sky.
The trees are shadows, the clouds they glow,
The water reflects the light.
A sun half down but still half up,
Dying but still alive.
A time of change, a liminal time,
A time that is between.
She stand before me and opens the Gates,
The oldest but latest born.
She beacons forward to follow the sun,
Down to its lonely grave.
Alone I stand with only her,
The enticing and love Dusk.
But back I step from that fair breach,
And turn my eyes to home.

The Call

The Call
By Muninn's Kiss

As the metal hare settles to sleep,
The water dragon stretches and stirs,
The world serpent around the world,
A curled serpent in a cave,
Slowly stirring, his coils spread,
In the underworld he's made his nest,
And waited through the coldest time,
Darkling serpent, shining snake,
His head he raises and starts to move,
Crawling forth on fair Bride's day,
Up the Well of Worlds he comes,
Across the Veil from world to world,
He hears the call of a thousand flames,
Candles lit and fires bright,
The heat, the light, it calls him forth,
Through deepest dark and waters cold,
Up he crawls, reborn from death,
Cthonic darkling, to worlds above,
Ravens dance the dance of death,
And flames the flicker, the spark of life,
The Bride she calls, the serpent comes,
Reborn and new, the strange Horned Child,
And a ring around the moon.