Crone's Book of Magical Words - Worth Valerie 2002
Magic is the product of human intelligence; still dependent on this intelligence, it does not wither away. The old mysteries have only slightly changed, though humankind’s regard for them and the means of dealing with them shift from age to age. The cosmos remains as significant and inscrutable as it ever was—birth, love, and death are no less poignant and inexorable; sorrow, pain, fear, joy, hope, and desire manifest themselves to the modern sensibilities essentially as they did to the primitive senses.
Today we are more in peril as a species than ever before; our ideas of salvation center on material and political remedy, while we are in awe of our works to the point that we must seek finally to limit them. These things are true to such a degree that we make a
faith of reason; still, beneath the intellectual control that we assert run the same anarchies, the same primitive, or psychological, reactions to our environment that led first men to create irrational weapons for dealing with irrational phenomena. There have been only minor changes in these phenomena during the instant of human existence on our planet.
Religion has been an elaboration of such weapons, but religion now becomes more reasonable and less effective as it moves closer to the ethical and social problems of our society; stripped of its earlier magic, it abandons us psychologically. Looking to psychology itself, we find essentially the same meagerness, the same strictures upon the imagination. Hoping for a substitute in art, we meet again only a mirror of that rational culture that we have created but whose creations, ultimately, we are not. How, then, shall we confront our demons and our angels? How shall we express what we are, who are more than helpless but less than omnipotent?
It can only seem that we do insist on the unreasonable in the face of all reason; we do pursue, perhaps with laughter or with grimaces, but still pursue, impulses toward the stars of the astrologers, the candle burnings of the elder priests, the ancient magicians cryptic circles, and in such ways, the relationship
between our own involuntary visions and that which is beyond mere routine as a solution to chaos.
This book arises from certain premises: that words themselves are a means to emotional control over exterior phenomena: that magic today is the same weapon that it was, even though we lay hands on it in a new spirit, even though we are uncertain of its uses and wield it unwittingly or even unwillingly; that all rituals, ancient and new, spring from the same vision of a possible order to life, an order that heals and reconciles effectively by its very roots in mental process. The rituals, or spells, or poems—and these names can all stand for the same thing—that are set down here deal with aspects of experience at once too simple and too complex for any other approach.
There is a traditional basis for many of these spells; there is a psychological basis for all of them. The past is so close to the present in this realm that it is unnecessary to distinguish between them, but possibilities for dealing with experience by appropriate verbal inventions are no fewer now, when drawn out of the newly convoluted psyche, than when they sprang from the primitive wrinkled brow. The rituals here, whether they are to be only imagined, or to be contemplated, or actually to be performed, are ultimately no more and no less than those of the ancients: rituals indeed, and
therefore means of shaping reality according to the human will.
Whether they are effective or not is a matter of individual circumstance and discovery; but the human will is no petty toy, and the mind has already found itself in possession of forces that are beyond category and analysis. To attempt, through them, to control experience at all is at least to confront those forces and, perhaps, even, to draw upon them.
Cornwall, Vermont
1969
The Spirit
for (pQtrollii^ tlje 5eQses
Draw the circle with red chalk, Twice three feet from side to side;
Empower it, inscribe it thus:
Set beyond the outer edge In five directions, each of these: A lighted candle, A ticking clock, Incense burning, A velvet mantle, A goblet of wine.
Sprinkle within the double rim.
Drops of vinegar, grains of salt; Enter the circle, wearing white, Stand in the center, on the Sun; Say these lines, with eyelids shut:
lam these five Yet greater still; lam as others Yet unlike all; While I spend lam not consumed— Let them come in And be assumed, But ever to serve, Never to rule.
Gather the symbols from their places, Set them upon the Planets’ signs; Treat them with honor, yet with strength: Blow out the candle, Pick up the clock, Smother the incense, Put on the mantle, Drink the wine— Step from the circle, walk from the room; Do not return until next day’s noon.
/1q /tolutioi? for tl?e ffew Year
New time demands new spirit; this purification is required: prepare a basin of snow, or of clear water iced, and scatter over it earth dried in the sun to a fine dust. The hands should then be immersed and chilled, the brow anointed and cooled, and these words said:
Substance wasted, substance spoiled, now be redeemed: seeing thyself in substance undefiled, forming thyself anew from this frail substance gathered and revived.
Thus should it be done at morning, and again at evening: to charge the original chaste intellect, the innocent purpose failed.
fo Dispel 5orrow
When world and fate Conspire to mark Your life with lines And characters dark, Mold a tablet Of earth or clay, Write on it all You would cast away— All you regret, All that you bear, All that afflicts you, All that you fear— Break it and bury it In the ground, Saying this charm To heal the wound:
Sorrow be dust And dust dissolve: Let all my grief Go into this grave.
/^aipst Enemies or Evil
Hang an ash bough Over your door, Fill your pockets With iron nails,
Carry always The mullein leaf, But say these words Against the worst:
I stand
In circles
Of light
That nothing May cross.
To Escape/T^adpess at the full /l\oop
Follow these steps To guard your wits When the round Moon rises, The gray Moon gazes, The cold Moon crazes, The mad Moon amazes: Shroud all mirrors, Curtain all windows, Shut every door, Cover your hair, Wind red yarn About your arm
And knot it thrice While saying this:
LUNALUSCA, LUPA LURIDA, LANA LIVIDA, LACLAPIDIA: NONLATRO SEDLATEO.
/1/I\a$cal inscription for Endurance
To stand like granite, Stout as the planet, Mark on a rock
With a stick of chalk:
Though chalk is frail And cannot prevail, You shall be firm As crystal or stone.
/15a^ Wor tl?e/I\iQd
The gray-leaved sage Stands fresh and fine
When even trees Fall prey to time; Pluck its growth, Brew an infusion
Against all darkness And confusion;
Drink its strength, With these words:
Sage make green The winter rain:
Charm the demon From my brain.
’[o Become Ipxjisible
Fern seed In your pocket Will hide you From some, But to be free Of everyone, You must go away Where water lies Quiet, and look To find your face— Then scatter
The seeds across
Your image Until
It departs.
To Embrace $olitude
Go into your house And fasten the windows, Block the chimneys, Lock the doors;
Stop up the keyholes, Draw the curtains, Say these words To all betrayers:
I am my own today, Nor any other shall steal me away.
Drink to your strength A glass of wine, Then sit three hours In silence, alone, Before you go forth again.
{0 /Kjert '[emptatioi?
If the demon approaches And gently beseeches Your custom and favor, And offers you silver Or gold for your weakness, Or feasts of great sweetness, Or beauty past wasting, Or love everlasting, Or pleasures unending, To buy your unbending, Cut from a tangle Of thorns a long bramble, Twist it around
To a ring on the ground, Pretend you would enter, Then spit in its center, And turn back his harm By repeating this charm:
DUMUS DIABOLO! ILLIGOILLICO!
To Reject Evil $elf
The guilt that rests upon your head, The evil stain upon your hand, May be removed: go forth and cast Your shadow dark upon the land— Pierce the image with a stake And drive it with a heavy stone; Let both weapons stay to mark The deed you shed, the self you scorn.
for ap Absolution
In a shaded room Burn candles three Whose wax is black As ebony;
Let incense cloud And thicken the air, Then write these words Against despair:
DOLOR FUMOSUS ANIMUS ATRATUS IN LUCTU SUM SIGNO SIGNUM
Burn the paper And powder its ash In a shallow bowl Of polished brass; Cover your hands With this dark dust— Your past will be cleansed, Your future blessed.
Jo Be Rjd of/)r$er
If the house is infected by a rage that will not be appeased, whether yours or another’s, you must find a toad in the garden and shut him up in a wicker basket. Take this to where the afflicted sleeps and set it beneath his bed, letting it remain there through a whole night. In the morning draw the basket out, bear it to a crossroads, and release the toad with these words:
Hence, toad, Take thy road, Get thee gone And all thy bane; Carry this anger
To a stranger, Bring it never Home again.
'[0 5weeter) /looker’s Disposition
Thus turn his scorn to kindest love: Steal from him the left-hand glove; With shining sugar fill it full And tie it, that it may not spill, With satin ribbons, blue and green; Then, when the deed may pass unseen, Hide it underneath his pillow— He shall sleep, and melt, and mellow.
]b Epcl^aQt ai? Jlpple
Pick your apple When the Moon Has waned three days; Breathe upon Its green cheek, Rub it with A scarlet cloth, Saying:
Fire sweet Andfire red, Warm the heart And turn the head
Kiss the red half, Put it later In another’s hand— Who holds it Shall weaken, Who eats it Shall be yours.
ft Ipve potior}
For a potion to excite another’s affections, take a gill of good red wine and add to it these: a teaspoonful each of rosemary leaves, of anise seed, of cloves, of clear honey, and of orange rind, with a pinch of ground cumin and three green leaves from the rose geranium. Mix them in a saucepan over the fire and bring all to boiling, then gendy stir and simmer them while you slowly count to one hundred. Remove the pan to a cool place until its contents cease to steam; then strain them through a fine sieve, and return the liquid to heat again upon the fire. When sweet vapors rise, pour the potion into a cup and deliver it to the one whose love you would sweeten and warm; it shall not fail, unless performed by one whose heart and household keep slatternly habits.
]b Wii} /tyotfyer’s Ip\je
Open a bird that is soon to be roasted, Draw from its body the shining heart, Let it with drops of blood be basted, Seethe it in wine and set it apart;
When it is cool, in your left hand take it; Squeezing it tight as your fingers can, Say these words to warm it and wake it, So to possess any maiden or man:
My fire is thine, Thy blood my wine: Thy love, my dove, Must soon be mine.
Halve, with the blade of a silver knife, Its yielding flesh, delicious and sweet, Then taste it, munch it, swallow its life— Next to your own that heart shall beat.
ft pre 5pell for Lp\je
Take twelve candles, white and tall, Dress them with sweet-scented oil, Set them on a table spread With velvet cloth of ruby red To form a figure of three sides; Light their wicks, then say these words:
Fire, spirit of the Sun, Wax, thou melting flesh of Earth, Prove this work that I have done, Bring me love, and beggar death: Let me be myself consumed Not by darkness but by light, Warmth, not cold, until I spend My finalflame against the night.
Watch the candles downward burn, In their sockets let them drown; Give the wick-ends to that one Whose love must be your Earth and Sun.
]b EpclpQt a for /T\arry ii$
Buy a ring of common metal, Plain and narrow, colored gold, To fit the wedding finger well;
Drop it in a vessel filled Half with wine and half with water, Add one oak leaf, one of willow, Two of bay and two of grass, And the name of whom you love Written on a silver paper;
Keep the vessel covered tight Near a window, in the sun, From crescent Moon until the full— Then rub the ring and wear it hidden On a string around your neck; But never tell the name you seek Until you take it for your own.
fl Q?arm to $eQd ip the Xame °f Lpue
Fold a white paper In half three times, On one of the squares Inscribe this rhyme, In ink like blood Or crimson wine:
Drawn from my hand These words run blood
Or wine, not ink, Thy lip to woo:
So may they spend My heart's sweet flood, Bidding thee drink The love I brew.
Kiss it, address it, And send it away, But keep your name secret
A year and a day.
'[o Recall Ope U/I70 Is Unfaithful
Who turns from you shall yet be bound If signs of him may still be found
Within your house—one hair or thread, Fragment or color, scent or word, Or any thing that bears his touch— This spell turns little into much: Seal the relic in a box
With seven strings tied round for locks, Each one tight-knotted seven times: Then set on it these seven signs:
rAtooyjH
Hide it in darkness, out of sight, Until the next Moons seventh night, Then send it to the one you seek— He must return within a week.
]b favor a /I\arria^e
Let two who are wed Go into an open meadow Before the grass is harvested: Each must gather As much of the living hay As his own left hand can hold; Then in the field they shall stay And weave of the stalks two figures— The woman shall fashion a woman, And the man shall fashion a man, And together these shall be wound With a golden stem of grass, Around and around And knotted at last.
Then they shall set these images Deep in the ground, To be bedded and covered with earth, Hidden by grass that is growing still;
And the couple shall stand Facing each other and say:
We are grown and gathered and bound And the binding is well;
We are fixed at the hip and the hand And the head and the heel;
We are planted beneath the land, Forever to wheel
As the Earth and the Sun are wound On a golden reel, As the ripening grasses stand And pale andfall.
for Lpokjr?$ ipto fl\irrors
Look to the left, Look to the right, Look in the glass And say these lines:
Quicksilver Mirror silver Show me My true face.
Look at the eyes: If their black centers Be shrunk and small, The mirror lies.
To Be $aid Vl/tyeq passir$ a Cemetery
Knit your fingers, Hold your breath, Say to yourself This verse for death:
Keeper of bones I know thy face, But I shall yet Outstrip thy pace.
To 5piQ Thread ipto Words (ap Exercise ip /l\ouri)iQ$)
Fasten the lock, Stop the clock, Sit alone
In a silent room; Speak aloud
To fashion a shroud And warm the dead
With words of THREAD:
HEAR THE HART TREAD THE EARTH
HEAR THE DART EAT THE HERD, HEAR THE RAT
TEAR THE HEAD— AH DEAR HEART, DARE DEATH!
'[o Write a Letter to tfye Beloved Dead
In this manner the letter must be written: first, the ink prepared from soot mixed with pale wine; next, the pen made, shaped from a quill never before cut; then, the paper arranged on a table between two black candles. At the top of the paper this inscription should be set:
See now, thou who are mourned, the nature of this mourning: as thou knowest even now my sorrow, so on this paper do I doubly affirm it. I write thee my heart here, for thy sight and mine only—that we may be bound by such silent words even better than when our words were spoken. Receive, then, this document as sign and token of my commitment: not to forget thee, nor to cease mourning for thee, until my own life shall be ended.
Write down then the essence of your grief, the substance of your devotion, and such aspects of memory as you would fix forever. When this has been accomplished, fold the paper thrice and seal it, along with sweet herbs, in a small box which should then be buried in the ground, or burned in a fire of fragrant wood. The letter shall thus be received.
The World
'[o Be $afe from pres
In wet woods by water Find the shy salamander, Catch him in a cage of willows woven, Bring him home in haste, Set him down beside the hearth While four sallow sticks, crossed, shall burn; Then cast water from a pitcher upon them, And when they are dead Say this, to bind the protection:
Salamander, salamander Turn fire to water Under this house And over this house.
Carry his cage through every room, Then let him out and set him free Among the lowest foundation stones standing, There to hide and be safe And keep you well forever.
To protect a Qardep from pests...
Mix in a vessel of rusted iron Oils of camphor and wintergreen, Oil of spearmint, oil of clove, A spoonful of blood and a glass of wine; Pour them about the threatened ground; Then mark in red on a flag of white This charge, that puts all foes to flight:
NEPENTHE NEPENTHE DISTINE DEFENDE
Fix this banner upon a pole Driven deep in the garden soil— Thus it will banish beast or fowl.
apd /^aipst Weeds ip ttye Qarder?
Under a Waning Moon, break one leaf from the garden s tallest weed; crush it with your teeth, spit the fragments out upon the earth, and say,
MALUM DESPUO HOSTEMVENENO CAEDO CAEDO
Cut the stalk off short with a silver knife; spread a handful of salt above the hidden root. All the garden bears witness to this curse, and its enemies must soon withdraw.
]b /Iffljct /tyotfyer s (jardeq
That garden so swollen With prizes and pride May find its wealth stolen, Its boasting belied: There, from your own, Send failure and blight By anointing a stone With a paste of these eight— The aphid, the snail, The slug and the beetle, The rust and the gall, The mildew, the spittle— All smashed in a mortar
And stirred to a slime, Then dried into a powder And moistened with brine.
Hold hidden the curse In your hand when you call Then think of this verse While you let the stone fall:
Proudflowers here Grow sick and sere; Foul pests descend, This Eden end.
Jo 5epd Pway /I\ice ai?d \ats
Where the rat or mouse Has insulted your house With scrabbling paw And ruinous jaw, You must sprinkle with blood The path he has trod, Then mark on his walk These words, in chalk:
MUS, MUS, MONEO: MUNIO MORDEO MUTILO.
So threaten his life And bring him to grief.
'[o Treat a L^akjQ^ plouse
If humid stain Of snow or rain On ceiling or wall Lets swell and fall The watery drop, Catch in a cup That sorry brew, Set it to stew Beside the fire
With garnish dire: Dead fly, Potato eye, Hair long, Mustard strong, Milk sour, Dusty flour. Stir to a paste This evil waste, Carry it there, The flaw to dare, Saying these lines:
Now heal, and let Thy weakness wane, Let water seek Its proper drain.
Or take this plaster For thy pain.
If it remains, Smother the spot With a poultice thick— Then leave it there For all of an hour.
/l^aipst tt?e Domestic Demons
All treasures that in your house are found Are only demons that dance you round; Their shapes like plates and lamps and chairs Snatch at your brain and catch it in snares;
If you would loose the talons that tease, And live by spirits more worthy than these, Write upon leather, ancient and brown, The names of all that grapple you down— The Meissen plates, the lamp of Towle, The Sheraton chairs, the Sevres bowl, The carpet, the curtains, the papered wall, The spoons and the goblets—goblins all, And countless others that take their pleasure Drinking your soul for their daily measure;
Cast their names in a raging fire;
Say these words, your strength to inspire:
Who winds me about
Go out, go out!
When I turn round I soon shall find Mere dust and ash, Poor trappings and trash, All rigid and dead, Their powers fled.
Pq IpscriptioQ to Be \17ritter? oq a WiQdowpape...
Darkness lies Where it is born, But Sun flies To light this room.
apd over a Doorway
Who comes to me I keep, Who goes from me I free Yet against all I stand Who carry not my key.
for Reading a /T\a$ical Word 5<|uare
Write these words on paper:
TREE ROAD EAVE
EDEN
Read from west to east And north to south, Then speak aloud:
TREE of knowledge, ROAD of pain, EAVE of home, EDEN again.
If you solve this riddle Burn the paper on your hearth: It will keep the house From sorrow, all year long.
for pieasir^ tl?e Jtouselpld 5pints
From a golden broom pluck five long straws, Light them as tapers at the fire;
Carry them through the house, and cause Their subtle smoke to thicken the air— Then summon good fortune with this spell:
Wraiths of the house, Take heart and live:
To every chamber This light I give, To every corner This breath I send— Approve and favor My willing hand
If you would please them doubly well, Sprinkle the floor with leaves of tea
And orris powder and grains of salt— Then sweep with the broom, until you free Each crack and crevice from speck or fault.
for f^ejectipg pipe Qottypg
Put on garments never worn, Spread on the floor a sheet untorn, Stand in its center, light a match: While it burns, be still and watch, Then blow it out and scorn its fate, Putting all vanity to flight:
The flame is gone, Its life is flown; Nothing remains But ash and bone: If noble coverings Share my dust, Why shall I love What must be lost?
Lust of the loom Go forth, begone! I stand, I burn, I wear the Sun!
Rend your clothing, rip the sheet, Tread them beneath your naked feet; Bathe anew, and wear thereafter Weeds befitting your mortal fever.
To Keep Beauty from fadir$
When all your face appears most fair, When comets and meteors gild your hair, And in your eyes the Moon and sun Contest, surrender, and burn as one, When ivory Venus smoothes your brow, And Mars recurves your lips’ red bow, Make haste to utter this binding verse And hold the stars on their kindest course:
Figures of fire That shift and change, Planets that move By heavens hinge, Be signed and fixed Forever here, And close my image Within thy sphere.
Measure a yard of golden string, Loose from your fingers let it swing, Then tie it in thirteen sturdy knots— Hide it among your scents and pots.
To TurQ tl?e flair aqd Qoldei?
To spin brown straw, Black weeds, red hay, Into a stream
Of golden threads That wind from the head Like enchanted waters, Rushing in torrents Over the shoulders, Curling to flowers About the feet: Gather from meadows Still unmown All yellow bloom That fits the season— Goat’s-beard, mustard, Goldenrod, trefoil, Buttercup, dandelion, King Devil, cinquefoil.
Chop them fine And crush them down Within a cauldron, Boil in seven Quarts of rain From noon to sunset;
Cool and strain
Then rinse the hair For seven days In this gold wine.
Jo i\eep tl?e flair from falling
At sunrise, measure a spoonful each And mix in a saucepan all of these: Thread of saffron, Anise seed, Root of ginger, Apple wine, Clover nectar, Cinnamon bark, Oil of olives, Leaves of pine.
Stir them, simmer them, saying this:
Spirits, conjure Phoenix flowers From the ashes Of the dead: Tell each hair That touches thee To hold forever To my head
Strain them into a gill of milk Mixed with an ounce of melted soap: Warm the whole until it foams, Then wash the hair, and nourish hope.
ft potior? for Youtl? preserved
These four, one spoonful each, combine: Juice of apples freshly pressed, Cider aged past seven days, Apple vinegar, tart and brown, Apple brandy, clear and strong; Add to these an ounce of honey, One scant drop of wintergreen;
Stir them, warm them, mix them well, And take the tonic every dawn, Saying this to work the spell:
If I must pay The apples price, I shall be young As well as wise, Filling my cup With honeyed days And hours as green As Edens grass.
fl pact witt} a free for lpQ§e\jity
Seek the darkness of a wood Where oak and elm and maple brood, Kneel before the greatest tree That stands among that company, Bury near its roots profound A penny in the yielding ground, Rise, and trace upon its bark This verse, the covenant to mark:
Ancient tree
I offer thee This mortal coin As gift and sign: Guard my fate Both soon and late, And let my rust Grow green at last.
Seal the burial with a stone;
Leave it, and do not return Until one lunar month has passed, Then go and part the fertile dust— If the coin has changed to green, The forest’s years shall be your own.
for Beauty after Death?
Fungus, worm, And fat corruption Feed on the unwary; But for a fair corpse, There is this potpourri:
Wrap the body In black velvet, Sew it tight With silver thread, Bind it round With three gold ribbons, Kiss its foot And heart and head, In the coffin
Scatter broken Roots of flag And roots of culver, Ambergris And civet musk, And the leaves Of sweet-clover:
Pack the box With petals, then, Fallen from
The damask rose—
But do not open It again, When at last The lid you close.
fl /I\ooq \bw for tfye Lpss of
When the Moon shows cold and slender, Stand beneath her starved light, Wearing only white and silver— Say, to whet her appetite,
I make my vow to fast until
This crescent Moon shines round and full;
While she waxes let me wane:
I must lose, that she may gain.
While she grows, take silver wine, Silver water, silver milk, And bread like snow or linen fine, And fish as clear as ice or silk—
But only these, and less of all Than you would wish, to feed her well.
for the /Irt of (poRery
Tie up a bunch of these good herbs, Basil, savory, mint, and dill;
Drench them in water drawn from the tap, And sprinkle the kitchen—lintel and sill, Shelf and canister, table and stove, Cupboard and wall and window and floor, Crockery, cutlery, napery, all— With drops from the stalks, delicious and pure; Then crush the bouquet in both your hands, Breathe its scent, and whisper this spell:
Sweeten the oven, Sweeten the pot, Sweeten the cold And sweeten the hot— Summon thy virtues Into this place To teach me patience And skill and grace.
Make from the leaves a strengthening tea, Drink it, and keep your kitchen well.
]b Defeat ttye Demoi) fobacco
Grasp the poison-breathing weed, Give him fire for his greed, Taste his sweet and cruel savor, Smiling, praise his deadly favor; Then when he suspects you least, Quick deceive the subtle beast— Break his back and crush to death His fawning image on your hearth; Say these words (and say them ever When his downfall you would conjure):
HERBA MALEFICA
ADURO ADEDO ADIMO
/^aiQst ar? Excess of DripK
Before those serpent alcohols That tempt the tongue and soothe the brain Shall rise and wind their glittering coils About your feverish fears again, Treat them firmly, do not fail Before their clear hypnotic eyes; Confess their power, yet prevail Before they learn to turn and tease: Utter this charm, that wit and will May stare them down and hold them still:
Knowledge I have While thou hast none, I can make songs Beyond thy tongue; All of thy offerings First were mine: I keep my spirit And need not thine.
Then raise to your lips a glass of wine— Spit in it, empty it down the drain.
To Dispel 51ai)der
When you are free From any deed Deserving blame, Whoever speaks An evil word
Against your name Must be rebuked— And all your works Restored to fame: A length of string In melted wax
Must soon be laid, Hung up to dry, And now in inks Of black and red Be dipped and raised—
Thus drop by drop Its stains to shed. Meanwhile, let this verse be said:
Blood and rot, Blight and spot, Touch me not:
Run to spill Over all Who wish me ill.
/l^aipst ap Excess of DripK
Before those serpent alcohols That tempt the tongue and soothe the brain Shall rise and wind their glittering coils About your feverish fears again, Treat them firmly, do not fail Before their clear hypnotic eyes; Confess their power, yet prevail Before they learn to turn and tease: Utter this charm, that wit and will May stare them down and hold them still:
Knowledge I have While thou hast none, I can make songs Beyond thy tongue; All of thy offerings First were mine: I keep my spirit And need not thine.
Then raise to your lips a glass of wine— Spit in it, empty it down the drain.
To Dispel 51ai)der
When you are free From any deed Deserving blame, Whoever speaks An evil word
Against your name Must be rebuked— And all your works Restored to fame: A length of string In melted wax
Must soon be laid, Hung up to dry, And now in inks Of black and red Be dipped and raised—
Thus drop by drop Its stains to shed. Meanwhile, let this verse be said:
Blood and rot, Blight and spot, Touch me not:
Run to spill Over all Who wish me ill.
ft }iollyl)ocK5pell for Rjctyes
The hollyhock blooms in summer, Its seeds in autumn fall: Then, in a folded paper, Save them, gather them all— The loose seeds, The brown seeds, The dry seeds, The round seeds, The seeds like tarnished pennies That pay for the blossoms tall;
Bury their rusty treasure Next to a southern wall— With a mint coin, An ancient coin, A silver coin, A copper coin: By spring your wealth shall measure Twelve times this sowing small.
forjuccess oq ar? Important Occasion
Steep in a bath A bowlful of leaves From three or four Or five of these: Marigold, celery, Mint and grass, Nasturtium, parsley, Fennel and cress. When the brew is green And the steam is sweet, Lie in the water And thrice repeat:
I shall bathe Andi shall be As green and strong, Good herbs, as thee; Draw me favor, Draw me fame, Draw bright honor To my name.
Rise from the water Thrice empowered; Wear those virtues You have conjured.
70 Obtaiq a particular /Ippoiptmept or positiop
When night has fallen fully, Raise one candle’s fire And write on virgin paper All that you desire;
If any man can aid you, There inscribe his name, Followed by these others For power, skill, and fame:
HELIMAZ FERIDOX SOLADAR
Brush every word thereon With a ragged crust of bread; Then shred the paper, soak it In water tinted red;
Wring it, press it small As a lump of sodden dough— Fling it from the house As far as it will go.
for tl}c Efficacy of aq Important letter
When the letter has been sealed, Set it on a table Newly covered* with a cloth As black as ink or sable;
Pour around it clean salt To form a silver circle;
Recite this verse of power To render it most subtle:
Words that run Before my pace And carry me Beyond this place, Please the eyes That greet thee next, And work my will Within thy text.
Fold the cloth to cover it, And kiss the folds; release it Soon to start upon its course, Lest jealous hands should seize it.
Before pi$)t
You who would dare To journey by air Must first be freed From folly and pride: In sunlight stand And pass your hand Near to the gleam Of a candle’s flame;
Kindle a feather Within its fire, And when it is black, Smother the wick;
Gather soft wax And fill the cracks Under your nails— Then say this spell:
Too near to the Sun
I may not fly, Scorched I should run From his mocking eye— Yet far from his scorn, Below his sway, Let me be borne And spared this day.
]b Be $aid U/fyeq Qrossir$ a Bridge
In air but not flying, Nor on the earth walking, Nor in a boat riding, Still cross without doubting— The way will uphold you If you will say boldly:
Bridge, be strong From end to end, And let me pass From land to land.
for a 5afe Ketun?
In a small bag Of supple leather Or brown cloth, Assemble these:
A stone the size Of a pigeons egg, A spoonful of ash From the morning hearth, A chip of bark From the tallest tree, A pinch of earth,
A curl of dust, A blade of grass,
All gathered from The place you leave;
Add a lodestone Or small magnet, Tie the bag With a strip of vine;
Wear it around Your neck, on a thong— Then do not grieve, You must return.
U/fyep Up f^esidepce ip a J\Te\i7 place
Sweeten the threshold on that day When first you enter the house to stay; Anoint the step in front of the door With fixatives, balms, and oils rare: Combine a drop or a grain of each— Castoreum, civet, and ambergris, Benzoin, storax, and orris root, Lemonwood, sandalwood, bergamot, Geranium, lavender, myrrh, and mace, Or other pure essence to please your taste— Then add grain spirits, pure and fair, Stir with a brush of camel’s hair, And paint this sign where your foot must tread:
Walk there, and let the house be glad.
for aq Improved $tate of fiealtl}
Fold in a scrap Of velvet cloth These treasures six To bring you health: Leaves of tea, Flowers of lavender, Ginger and salt And clove and camphor; Tie up the charm With a scarlet thread, Keep it beside
Your nightly bed;
Breathe it on waking Every day— You must be healed, And healed must stay.
ft Qder potiop for 5treQ$tf)
If cider is pressed When the apples are warm, Its russet taste
Must turn you strong;
Heat it with cloves, With cinnamon long, Drink it soon
And read this song:
Apple rust
And cinnamon rust And cloves like rusty nails, Turn my skull To an iron wall,
My ribs to iron rails.
for 3Q Elixir of J4or?ey
When the day approaches noon, Hold up honey to the sun, That their double gold may run Shining together, mixed as one. Drink three spoonfuls, Then say this:
Sun charge me, Gold serve me, Alchemy change me, Honey preserve me.
fiorseslpe Q}arm for tt?e fleadacfye
This iron crescent, Brown and old, Is worth as much
As virgin gold;
Grasp both ends, The center hold
Hard to your brow, Heavy and cold; Let this healing
Verse be told:
Good metal loosed
From horse's hoof, Draw from my brain These nails of pain:
Cast them away, Rust them away, Keep them away.
Jo Overcome Ipsompia
To catch and keep Fleet-footed sleep, You must prepare
A subtle snare: Lie as if dead Upon your bed, Stilling his fear, Luring him near, Then say this charm To bind him firm:
MORPHEUS SOPOR
SOMNIFICUS SOMNIFER
If, even so, He would turn and go, Repeat this spell Until he is still:
TOLIXA OLIXAT LIXATO IXATOL XATOLI ATOLIX
Evil Dreams
The nightmare will toss Its cold black mane And gallop on ebony hoofs From your pillow, away As far as the Moon, if you say:
Thou evil thing Of darkness born, Of tail and wing And snout and horn. Fly from me From now till morn.
Then think of the fire That burns by day: Sun in his glistening chariot, Drawn by foam-white Stallions, out of the sea.
'[b Quard /^aipst poisoned food or DripK
To render pure The plate or cup, Do this before You dare to sup: Hold a walnut Against your mouth, Set it down Upon the hearth, Crack its shell Beneath an axe, Striking six times With these words six:
NUX HEX NEX TUX TAX PAX
Cast its fragments Into the fire— They shall burn, Your ills to bear, Your fate to turn, Your life to spare.
/igaiQst poisoq Kjy
Those ivy leaves With demon tongues That lick the hand
To blister it, May yet be tamed And set at naught By those who will By this be taught:
Learn the spot Where jewelweed Or touch-me-not
Or orange balsam— One, by three
Names known—
Is grown;
Pluck the plants Close to the roots, Crush them, spread
The juices where Corruption lies Upon the skin, Or might lie soon, And say this rhyme:
Jewelweed Starve ivys greed, Touch-me-not Stay ivys rot, Orange balsam Stop ivys poison.
Cover the place With further leaves And bind them on;
The evil touch Will soon be gone.
]o Qjre a Wart
Stamp within a silver cup Mullein and houseleek together Stir them with a sparrow’s feather, Let it draw the juices up; Twenty times upon one day, Brush them over the excrescence; Under sunlight dry the essence— Soon the wart must shrink away.
ft fertility Q)arm
On an egg whose shell Is brown or pink, Sign these signs In grass-green ink:
Bury it deep In an earth-filled pot, Let this stand Where the sun is hot; Sow on its surface Seeds of grass, Water them well While nine weeks pass; Gather the crop, Bind it with thread, Let it hang always Above your bed.
for Obtaiqir$ a /T\ale Q)ild
Now thus invoke the striding Sun To touch the infant in the womb And give him flesh of manly flame— Gold limb, gold beard, gold seed, gold name: On paper mark this secret sign,
Then tie it, scrolled, with golden twine, And cast it in the fire’s mouth— That it may rise, a shining breath, To call its words across the sky Where Sun’s paternal powers lie.
for a female Q?ild
To form a daughter in the womb, Trace this figure at New Moon, On silver foil, with a silver spoon:
Crush the foil to make a sphere, Cast it into waters near, Whisper in the Moon’s white ear:
O Maiden, feed This silver seed, In waters lap, By waters pap, Until its phase Grows round with days—
That I may see
A child like thee.
for J\famiQ<5 tl?e Upborp
When the womb is six months full, Carry wine in a silver bowl To a place where sun may turn it gold;
There, on a dozen chips of wood, Write twelve names to name the child—
Male and female, six of each;
Let them drift upon the flood, While, with eyes closed, forth you reach And choose the name that meets your hand: Draw the fragment out, and stand Facing the sun, to read its sign Inscribed forever from this time; Now draw others, until you find The other sex, to match its twin— And know that either name is good, So given by sun and wine and wood.
'[o Use tf?e Jderb /T\ott)er\uort for aq Easy frayjail
When motherwort, undaunted weed, Has sprung and flowered and gone to seed, Gather the stalks with heads and leaves, Tie them in cords to five strong sheaves;
Batter their tips against a wall
Until the seeds, sharp-spined, shall fall, And when they are scattered upon the ground, These words will render the womb unbound:
Seeds that wound, Husks that bind, Leave only peace And joy behind: Take away pain, Let strength remain.
Untie the stalks and strip them bare, Fold their leaves in a velvet square, Sew up the charm with yellow thread:
As soon as the woman is brought to bed, See that she hold it in her hand
For ease, as weeds are born from the land.
'[tye (pqjuror
To Qjrse ap Epemy
In the dark of the Moon, spread a table with some coarse cloth of dark color, ragged and foul with dust. At the four corners set black candles unlit, and in the table’s center an open box made of wood. Now on a small, flat stone inscribe his name, written reversed, whose life you would shadow and starve; spit upon it, set it within the box; then light the four candles with a burning straw or taper. When all is so prepared, cast into the box a handful of bitter weeds, chicory, dandelion, or others, and fix the curse with these words:
That thou shalt be turned into a stone,
And that all thy wits shall be turned front to back, And that over thy face the loathsomeness shall creep,
And that as in a coffn thy limbs shall be bound, And that light shall be withheld from thine eyes, And that thy house and lands shall be impoverished and spoiled,
And that all nourishment shall taste to thy tongue as wormwood,
And that thou shalt be held alien from thy fellow man And that these things shall be so until I release thee,
I spread this table and mark this stone And spit upon it and conceal it,
And light these candles and apply these poisons, Andfix this curse upon thee In the names of the four fires
Whose names are RIL, YUT, SAR, and LOD, Who shall consume thee as they are consumed.
Remain watching by the candles until they are burnt out. Then these things may be taken away, but the stone must be buried near your house until the curse is withdrawn.
To Employ tt?e 5pirits of Darkless
To yoke the demons of the night, Cut a fork of sapling oak, Strip its bark and shake the wand To and fro across the dark— Send them ranging through the land To do your will, by this command:
LAMIAE
LARVAE LEMURES PASSIM, PASSIM!
To (pQtrol a /T\alefactor
Take his name And mince it fine, Weave from his vigor A subtle figure, Spell him down, Across and around:
MALEFA ALEFAC LEFACT EFACTO FACTOR
He may not breathe Without your leave.
To Decrease /Iqotfyer’s power
To shrink his lust And wither his dust, Call the first, Diminish the rest, Whisper the last:
NORODAROGOR RODAROGOR
DAROGOR ROGOR OGOR OR
]b Iqcrease Oqe’s Owq power
Lie down as dead, Then upward waken; Raise this word Your strength to quicken:
ON ORON DORON RADORON GORODORON ROGORODORON
ft figure for Ipfluepce o\jer /iQOttyer
If with fetters
You would tame The angry foe, Or bind with shame The faithless friend, Draw this figure
In red ink:
In the corners That remain Mark four letters Of his name; Burn the paper; Say this charm:
Circle him round, Cross him within, Turn him about, And cast him out
/I /Terror Qpl?er for R^uer?$e
An evil self
May lie within The mirror’s smooth
And silver skin;
Let your darkest Work be done
By hands that hide From sight and sun:
Make of wax
An image small To bind the man
Who serves you ill, Cast it in
A boiling pot, Then print these letters Close and neat Upon a paper:
YOTYMMIHWYM XAWYHTXIMI
TAVTOHYMTAHT XATYAMTIWYHT
Hold it straight Before the glass To see his plight (Your hands reversed Will work his fate.)
for Breaks a Qirse
Gather certain fallen twigs:
One of hazel, one of oak, One of elm, and one of willow; Hold them to the fire’s smoke, Say this softly, seven times all:
Turner be turned, Burner be burned:
Let only good Come out of this wood.
Spit on each and break it small Cast them in the fire’s mouth— The curse will die with the fire’s death.
Iq 5ummoQiQ$ a Qtyost
For conversation With the dead, Attend to ceremony;
Avoid the grave’s Annoyance, speaking
Always gently:
Earth, bone, And winding sheet, Let this spirit Come to me—
Yet send it In peace, Or not at all.
If it come, It should be offered White wine, Not red;
And knelt to, From pity.
'[0 liaise tl?e Dead for a prophecy
In a circle of string With twelve knots fine On a center of stone With a wand of bone, Knock at the earth And summon him forth:
Spirit, we call From Death's sweet thrall
Thy barren rib
And wasted lip— Pity our life And bring us truth.
fo free a [louse from fdauptir?^
The Presence that stands Upon the stairs, The unseen hands That move the chairs, The lights that play Across the wall, The stains that stay, The plates that fall, The mist, the chill, The wandering scents— This gentle spell Must speed them hence: At midnight, set A table neat, With cup and plate And wine and meat;
Invite the ghost To sit and feast, As any host Should urge a guest;
Presently, clear The meal away, Then open the door And softly say:
Quick or dead, Thou art fed: Cease to grieve, And take thy leave.
Bid him depart— But should he remain, Be calm, take heart, And feast him again.
for /Ul'-Jdallow’s Eue
When the white dog is out And trots all about Under the clouds That are over the Moon, And the hag with her broom Rides high on the wind, And the cat on the fence Spits even at friends, Then it is right To conjure a light Against every spirit That shadows the night.
Thus say:
Let the pumpkins Candle glare Into darkness Everywhere; Burn all evil From the air!
When it is dark And the black trees roar, Set Jack-o’-Lantern To watch by the door.
Jo Bipd Your5badow
Close all windows, Close all doors, Utter not
A word aloud;
Cast the shadow
By a single
Candle, tall
And black as shade;
When the clock Is striking twelve, Take two lacquers, Gold and silver;
Where your shape Stands on the wall, Paint with one
And then another;
Trace the edges With your finger, Quickly blow The candle out— Then though darkness
Fly from day The midnight image Has been caught.
for IpKfrom tye 5oft~Barl<ed 5umac
For an ink to use in charmed inscriptions, take the Sumac’s antlers crowned with leaves and fruit, boil them awhile in filtered rain, add a pinch of iron dust gathered with a magnet or lodestone, and then strain out the liquid, saying this:
Thicket secret,
Shallow, airy, Horns of velvet, Feathers many, Green as water, Red as flame— Shed thy blood And sign my name.
for Qatfyerir^ fierbs op /I\idsummer’s Eue
Go in moonlight Or, if it be dark, Take a lantern With a white candle;
Stand where fern Grows under the trees, Listen until
The air is still;
Then you may speak:
On Midsummers Eve We hasten to weave Fern and leaf For every grief, Stalk and seed For every need.
Soon gather the fern And fern seed; then St. Johnswort, mullein, Vervain, willow, elder, Or what else you seek.
for (pqjurii$ witl?
In an iron vessel burn Mullein dried, St. Johnswort fresh, Willow old, Wild lettuce green, Apple dead, Red cedar new: While the living smoke ascends, Let it wind about your hands And shape it thus:
Breath and substance Risen twice, Death and issue, Double face, Phoenix fire, Burning feather, Fly andflower All together.
Set it free and watch it rise: Discover fate in this disguise.
for 5eeiQ$ witl? fire
No card or palm Can tell you more
Than figures In the winter fire;
Work the spell Dried from leaves
Of crocus, rose, Chrysanthemum; Watch what form Or sign may burn
Upon the air, What face or name Or number flares Within the flame:
The spire of gold, The willow green, The silver snake, The scarlet king, The seven stars, The broken chain,
May all be shown, But if two hands
Wrought blue and thin
Be seen to rise And curl and wring Together, run For water, quick— Put out the blaze, Then leave it dark For seven days.
]b pass tl?rou$ a LpcRed Door
Where the lock Is filled with rust And all the keys Have long been lost, And time has warped The heavy door Against the place It fit before, And no one can Remember now What joys or sorrows It could show, Then you must tap Its silent boards Once, twice, and thrice, And say these words:
Whatever lies Beyond this door Let me enter Without fear, Or else with lever, Saw, and axe, Til serve the wood Until it breaks.
To 5ee ttye faces of past apd preseQt
Set on a table by candlelight these tokens: a cup, an egg, a knife, a red cloth, a white cloth, a green leaf, a brown nut, a crystal, and a key. Place in their center some fragment of a looking-glass; look on yourself therein and say:
In the mirror space, In the mirror time, In my eye the mirror Holding what is mine:
In the cup, the key, In the sea, the knife, In the egg, the sun, In the nut, the leaf.
Wrap the cup, the egg, the nut, and the looking glass in the cloth of white; wrap the knife, the leaf, the key, and the crystal in the cloth of red. Bury the first to the east of your house, and the second to the west. Thus live in peace between bodies remaining and energies acting, between instances reflecting and instants refracting.
]b $eeK That Which Has Beep Ipst
The smallest mote Of dust mislaid May be recovered By this aid: Place in an eggshell All of these—
The pollen basket of a bee, The golden eye-ring of a frog, The unripe seeds of violets, The pollen of a columbine, One mushroom from a fairy-ring, A strand of spider gossamer, A drop of milk-white milkweed sap, A single thread of thistledown.
Shake them gently, Spill them out Onto a folded Colored cloth;
Their pattern then Will tell the spot Where you may seek The missing thing—
If its panels Do not fall, Its frame unfasten From the wall, And show the hidden Scene to you, You are not worthy Of the view.
To Weave Ropes of 5ai)d
The devil spins This task for us That he may laugh— But do it thus: When first Sun Shines on the sea, Pick up a broken shell; Smooth a space Where the sands are firm, And write these letters well:
R O ROPES E S
The words you weave Will make him fly, For crossed ropes Must hang him high.
Yet even though You find it not, You will have gathered Treasures as fine As any lost.
'[b Become tye Ifkepess of a Bee
Pound in a mortar A pint of purple Clover flower, Pour in honey
From half a comb;
Mix to an ointment, Spread on the skin, And repeat this charm:
Golden pollen, Golden bee, Let me shrink As small as thee.
Wings clear as water Will sprout
On your back, A yellow velvet Will fur you over, And all the world
Grow high About your head.
for '[ellii$ fortunes by 5apd
On a red paper
Spread dry sand;
Draw with the finger A circle there;
Gather the grains
Outside the rim
And let them run
From the left palm, slowly Down to the circle’s
Center, saying:
Time is truth
Time is sand
Time run true
From my own hand:
For love
For joy
For pain For death . . .
Repeat these four;
When the sand ends, In that word
The truth will rest.
for ]elliQ^ fortunes by fea Leaves
To see your future, dark or fair, Conjure the leaves left in the cup: Circle its handle three times round, Turn it over and turn it up— Read the pattern of joy and pain Upon this map, from depth to rim:
for JVamir$ familiars
Those pets who abide And watch at your side, Your cause to befriend, Your will to attend, Your arts to approve, Your ills to remove, Must serve and be mute— But give them delight By learning with care The names that they bear: Ninx is the fish
And wix is the bat, Pibbit the mouse
And leppin the rat, Lurit the finch, Oxpictas the owl, Scridee the sparrow, Runipia the fowl, Quist is the beetle And crope is the mole, Yim the opossum And sylog the snail, Jalp is the pig, Pronocaspo the deer,
Ircis the otter, Iltorep the bear, Jubbin the toad And morling the frog, Ninkip the cat And malop the dog, Smeth is the fly And sordoxo the stoat, Galosty the lamb, Hurathixet the goat. Address them as these If their ears you would please.
for ap Astrology ^mepded apd Reversed
Two faults the ancient zodiac bears: One, that it lags behind the years, The other, that when its stars mount high
Sun is there too, and blinds the eye;
Thus you must free the signs of fate
And set the wandering seasons straight:
The Ram that leapt over hills of spring Must now run into the Bull's round ring, And thence be led to the other side
Of the year, allowing the Scales to ride That zone where the Bull so long has stood But leaves, to bellow in autumn’s wood;
Thus where the Ram has left his hills, The Fishes would spawn in freshening rills, But they must swim to the nether seas And herald the frost in autumn skies; Then who shall announce when spring has come? The Virgin, high on her nightly throne When Sun is hidden behind the world
And cannot enter her zenith cold;
She shall be followed by Balances fair, Then Scorpius creeping along the air;
The Archer s bow shall learn to raise Into the firmament summer’s days;
Thereafter the Goat shall charge the night When men grow fierce with lingering heat, Until the Water-Carrier quench This fever, and tip his jar to drench The course where the Fishes attend their spawn, And the Ram and the Bull shall follow soon;
The Twins mark winter, and in their wake The Crab and the Lion their sequence take In angry snow and winds as sharp As claws, to finish the seasons’ arc.
Then as in spring the Virgin rises, Loosed from that earlier law’s devices, Know her reborn, and take her hand, Follow her through the enlightened band Where you may reign in the Sun’s old place, And read the universe face to face.
for Readir$ a 5updial
Honor the Sun upon its way; Stand by the dial at noon, and say:
I dm thy Gnomon And thy man: I mark the circle Of thy flame.
These are the words the dial’s face Should bear, to follow Sun’s long pace:
MAN TO SUN I BIND: EACH ALONE IS BLIND.
P)e (psmos
for 5ui?rise at tlje 5ummer 5olstice
When June is ripe And the days are full And Sun comes early To claim his throne,
Walk before dawn To a silent height And set three stones In an eastward line; Stand behind them
While his light
Is rising over The distant land; When he is there In the eastern air, Offer these words:
Sun of the year
I move this earth To greet thy sign, And set myself To honor thee In the earth's design.
Perfect the stones To mark his face, Follow their shadow Twelve short paces, Pluck some leaf For an amulet.
fb Enlist tl?e Elements’/lid for a J4i$h Cause
Mark this figure on the ground, In its quartered center stand, Face the compassed circle round, Saying this, the world to bind:
Sun of the east And western sky, Northern lode That guards the pole, Sea of the south, My ancient blood, Points and elements
Work my goal: All that I ask Is thy desire, All that I seek
Is for thy care;
My earth is thine, And thine my fire, Our waters one, My breath thy air.
Then name your favor—if it seem An object worthy of this scheme.
Jo (pqjure tfye kl/eat^er
Say this to greet The morning sky When early light First meets your eye:
Sun, rain, Cloud, snow,
I rise up And over you go—
To bend My way, To serve My day
Then and later Must all chill Or fiery weather Keep you well.
{0 Bripg
Set upon rocks an iron pot, Kindle beneath it a fire hot, Fill it half with water new, Then add these, to build the brew: An unbound rope, A bar of soap, A drop of oil, A pinch of soil, A buckthorn sprig, A maple twig, A broken bag, A tattered rag, A spoonful of salt, A rusted bolt.
When these break to a boiling froth, Brandish a hammer over the broth, Strike it thrice on the vessel’s side, Calling these words to the weathers wide:
Hither, cloud, And loose thy flood;
Wither, drought, Let rain come out!
Sprinkle the potion over the grass— That which you ask shall come to pass.
for Rett?e Eartt) 5pirit
When deadly frost has touched the ground, And turned its fertile flesh to bone, You may bring it to life again: Break the soil and spade it fine, Gather it, pot it, take it in To soften by the fire’s flame; Anoint it with fresh water then, Breathe its breath, and name its name:
Spirit of Earth Arise and live: I break the frost And open thy grave.
]b JioQor a 'free at tt)e kJerqal Equiqox
When nights and days Are balanced and halved, Cut from the branches March has saved Twelve supple wands, All budded and green, Twist them together To weave a crown, And say these lines:
Summer will come, and the autumn wind, Turning and turning the leaves on their stems: Then they must fall, but now in the spring The twig is bound, and the bud remains.
Hang the wreath From a sturdy limb Of oak or maple, Ash or elm;
Thus will the tree Live well and long.
fo Be 5^id ip a ^upderstorm
Thunder my anger, Lightning my might:
I take them in
I send them out Over wind and night, To serve me well To save me well To harm nothing under my sight.
p $top Rgip from falling
If the rain has beaten down Seven days without the sun, While an ever-blowing wind Bends the flowers to the ground, And trodden grasses turn to mud, The sodden gardens to a flood, You must go and stand alone On a height of barren stone; Take with you an empty sack, Hold it open, then, and speak:
Water, rain, And flooded sky, Let the weeping Earth be dry; Wind be silent, Black cloud, break— Now into my sack For Earth's sweet sake!
Let it billow, full and wide, Close it up with air inside;
Tie it tight with purple, red, Green and blue and yellow thread;
Bury it in a garden bed— The sun shall bloom, the storm lie dead.
for Discover^ Tree 5pirits
When the Moon is round In spring or summer, Go to a place Where more than two But not over twenty Trees are growing, Measure their bounds By silent walking, Mark their center And in it stand, But make no sound;
Listen and watch And you may find Green and silver Shadows flying From leaf to leaf, And a noise like water Or quiet talking; Strike three times With a stick of oak Upon the ground— Then you may see In every tree The falling streams
Of their silver hair, And their hands Like silver-flickering air; Their frightened emerald Eyes will stare Until you look away— Then though you stay For a year and a day, You will not see them again.
Of poisons to Beware
Take care that none of these, Proud and precious Though they be, For magic and for ornament, Shall touch your mouth:
The Christmas rose and mistletoe, The leaves or twigs of cherry, The rhubarb leaf, the sprig of yew, The oak and elderberry, Potato vine, potato sprout, The privet and the laurel, Narcissus, raw marsh-marigold, Poppy and may-apple, The monkshood, the foxglove, The buttercup and daphne, Corn cockle, cow cockle, Snakeroot, pokeweed, Moonseed, the hemlocks, The nightshades, red or black, Baneberry, larkspur, Horsetail and bracken, Henbane and dogbane And false hellebore, And even certain other names Not named here—
For Earth has her mysteries, And if you mock their wealth She will offer you A deep grave, Garlanded with death.
]b /Rope for Dowq a free
Whether fear or foolish thought Or mere necessity has brought The haughty elm or poplar down, For its expense you must atone: Face the mourning field or wood Or barren space where once it stood, And offer penance to the tree, Lest blight and sorrow fall on thee:
Poor spirit hurled From proud estate, I rue the deed I did of late: Forgive my axe That thee did vex, And spare my life Thy grievous fate.
for preservipg the 5uQflou/er
The Sun must lose his rays When autumn bows him down, Yet a hundred summer days Fill the circle of his crown; Hang his image up to dry From a rafter dark and high, Hold this promise to his eye:
From winter's greed I'll save thy seed, But when the snow
Is gone, Fll go And sow it round Within the ground To raise thy gold A hundredfold.
for I\eepiQ$ Dried Qrasses
When all the woods are dying, And the mournful geese are flying With a call like distant hounds Past the gray horizon’s bounds, And forgotten apples freeze On the ground beneath the trees, And the butterflies, undone, Turn despairing from the sun, And the flowers fall and rust, Curling to a sorry dust, Still the seedy grasses stand— Pale, where they were green and grand, Yet like spears against the air, Shaped as perfect as they were Gather them if you would know How to last the winter through;
Set them dry within a jar, Honored as spring flowers are; Keep them all the winter long; Sing for them this human song:
Immortal grass, Let winter pass So neither leaf, Nor seed, nor life, Within this house May come to grief
{0 Dismiss U/ipter Qreeps
All trees or boughs That have been cut And kept for luck Within the house Must not be cast
Away and scorned, But gravely burned To dust at last; Chop them fine, Give them flame, Offer this rhyme:
Forgive our fire, Faithful tree: Warm us now Who have warmed thee.
{0 5ay to a fox
When fox-red suns Burn low in the south, The cold fox turns To famine and death; But leave by his house Four rats, three birds, Two hares and a mouse And these warm words:
Fox run round And favor my ground;
Eat from my hand, Fatten my land
Who feeds a fox Should suffer no loss.
'[0 (bQuerse with a 5QaKe
Speak to the serpent With his voice, In the language Of his race, Slow and sliding, Softly chiding, Sweet and gliding, Sly, confiding:
SITSIP PTISLI TSLSIL TLISSA
Say it, gazing In his eyes— His subtle tongue Will turn you wise.
forjtearii^ ti?e Words office
Enter a house Where no one lives, Where the key is lost To the open door;
Go at night When yellow leaves Are heavy with rain And a coming frost; Take no light But a tallow candle, Sit in a corner Where spiders crawl; Smother the flame With a shower of dust, Listen and listen Against the wall. Then you may hear, Close to your ear:
Gather seeds And gather thistles, Quick before The north wind whistles, Build the nests And gnaw the tunnels,
Shred the papers, Steal the flannels: Bring them soon And weave them warm,
Lest we taste
The bitter storm!
But if not this, Or something like it, You will know That the mice Have found you out— Still leave them A cloth and a crust
Before you go.
for Catc^ipg fro^s
Walk the edge Of the water
Back and forth Three times, then stop And count to three; Where the frog lies, Gaze at him Until he moves— Then say to him,
Frog I see thee Frog I hold thee
To my eye And to my will.
Catch him quick
In a stout net, For if you fail at first, You will fail at last.
To Be 5poKei) ipto a 5east}ell
If the seashell speaks To you, Then you may whisper In its ear:
The sea
Has brought thee Safe to shore: By earth And water May I, too, Be spared.
But then you must Guard it
Safe somewhere, Forevermore.
for fly5out*? witty Jwallows
Wet-gray air from the hills Will find the swallows gone. If you would go with them, Rise before the Sun
When the Corn Moon has waned;
Kneel in a mown field, And write these words On a yellow leaf With an eagle’s quill:
Swallow, I would fly
To the southern sea;
Swallow, give me wings To follow thee.
Stand, then, and cast the leaf
Into the air above your head:
If it blow north you shall remain;
If it blow east you shall be kept;
If it blow west you shall be bound;
If it blow south you shall be borne away.
for Qood fortune ip \17ipter
When the evening fire Lies down tame, Take twelve twigs Of ash or rowan, Tied in thread, Yellow or red, And cast them in, Thinking in silence Of what you wish, whether Love or wealth
Or gentle weather; Watch their flame, Do not look away Until it dies, And you shall have your way.
/Igaiqst tt)e/I\oop’8 l^st Quarter
The Waning Moon Flies low and late With tainted horn And tarnished wit;
If you would shun
Its fevered state, Go forth and spit Upon a stone
And say these lines:
Die, old Moon, And do it quick, Lest I, like thee, Grow weak and sick.
Tb Be $aid iQ the Dark; of the /I\ooq
Though maiden and matron And crone have passed, And heavy night Must reign at last, Never allow The Queen to lie Quenched in her deadly Slough of sky— Summon her powers, Utter her names, And she will rise up Again in flames:
DIANA LUNA
LUCINA LUMEN LUMEN LUMEN
{0 <J)3Q$e pebbles iqto Jewels
For rubies and emeralds To hold in handfuls, Amethysts and sapphires To scatter in the air, Beryls and opals To fill your pockets with, Paths of diamonds To walk on carelessly, Gather pebbles as white as ivory: Wash some in wintergreen, Wash some in wine, Wash some in iodine, Wash some in vinegar, Wash some in almond oil, Wash some in milk, Then clean them well with soap and water; Dry them and keep them Dark in a box That is lined with silk, In a thrice-locked room, Until the earth is covered with snow:
When the winter Moon Is rising full, And the planet Venus
Lies white in the west, Spread them glittering Under the sky, Steep them in snowlight, Moonlight, starlight, The whole night through; Then, if they do not clear And color as they should, It is not the spell gone wrong But your own flawed eye.
To Keep a 5oaP Bubble from Breaking
When you have made The floating sphere, The globe of rainbow— Streaming air, Transparent world, Trembling planet, Shuddering star, Great as your head But thin as a thread That wind can tear
From the spider’s web, Do not despair— Let this be said:
That which is whole Cannot be torn, That which is woven Cannot be worn: Shiver and burst On the Moons white horn, But out of the sun Be ever born.
Then turn away;
Follow it not With an anxious eye— Your words will hold it, Though it may fall In tears, like meteors, From the sky.
for possess^ a $tar
If you will have Antares, Scarlet sting of Scorpius, Or count for wealth
Cape Ila, Gold-fleeced goat, Or Rigel, fire Of sapphire, pivot To Orion’s pace, Or Sirius his dog, As white as ice, yet Flashing every color, Then go and find The light you seek Mirrored in water; Break the wet glass, Pluck out the star By its radiant hair— But do not dare To look upon its face, Lest you go blind; Dig a pit in earth
And cast it in;
Cover it; bear it Only in your mind.
(pQfessioi) of /Mortality fb $ay upon a/T\eteor’s falling
While I see thee cross the sky,
To wake and live and burn and die All in a flash, eternity
Watches me fall as swift as thee.
]b 5ee tl?e future
When Venus stands the morning star or the evening star, seek her as she rises or sets. Carry with you an orb of crystal, large or small but free from flaw, and raise it up to catch her image: when she lies at its center, gaze there and invoke her thus:
Thou fire, no fire but the Suns most silver mirror, Thou star, no star but solid globe like this I bear, Thou disk, thou crescent, neither crescent nor disk but sphere, seeming clear as glass is clear, Thou planet veiled, whose face is a bright cloud more radiant for its obscurity,
Thou mystery, whose shadows hide beneath the guise of light,
Thou world, whose lands remain unknown while thou shinest most evident of all beyond this world:
Reveal now, reveal to me here, all that is obscure and hidden under days illusion;
Reveal to me the nature of all that thou seest, set so far from earthly lands, above earthly sight:
Appear to me here in this crystal which is thy likeness,
Appear now in the guise of substance beyond this days knowledge:
Soften, flow, clarify, reform thyself as the vision which thou hidest, which emanates from thee, which partakes of thy perspective across darkness; tell andforetell allfor my enlightenment, as thou
art indeed prophetic of the morning and the evening;
Give me thy wisdom concerning all things that lie before the earth upon its path;
Translate thyself to cloud within clarity, clarity within cloud, and show me here all that thou seest and containest.
Study your globe in patience, then, for as long as the planet’s light remains undimmed; the knowledge you seek shall be made manifest.
for BecopciliatioQ witt? tlje Universe
In the dark of the Moon when stars show clear, Go where no houses or lights appear, Where hills are low and grass grows high; Lie on your back beneath the sky, Fix with your gaze the brightest star, Speak this aloud, to answer its fire:
Lower than grass My light began, Into the heavens
Soon it ran:
Here between Earth And space I shine,
My fallen dust The twin to thine— Star that I was, Star that I am, Star I shall be My name is human.
Stand then, and tread the living air, Ascend the vision’s open stair; Passing the planets’ silent race, Rise and mirror the cosmic face— Infant of galaxies, prodigal Sun, Resume this title: All and One.