Scott B Wilson
O Muse from Parnassian peak, inspire my words to the daughter of Zeus
Let me speak to the Lady with beauty and clarity and humility
Dearest Lady, these are the words I owe to You:
Artemis, far-shooting sister to the radiant God of my fathers,
You who were known to the Romans and Aricians as Diana,
brought to their rugged hills by Orestes from the Tauric shore,
although others sought You under eternal oaks long before
Many see You as huntress and virgin who dwells
far from mortal men where only beasts may survive,
but You are so much more and are known far and wide
Helper of Children, You kept my youthful innocence intact
and taught me about Nature’s ways, neither cruel nor kind
Gentle and Soothing, Leader of the Nymphs, Your trees
and creeks were my sanctuaries and sources of comfort
You guided me to save dogs and cats hungry and alone
You guided me to spare a baby bird from spinning wheels
You guided me to crush a suffering squirrel’s skull
Goddess of the Lake, Goddess of the River
Goddess of the Marsh, Goddess of the Coast
Goddess of the Harbor, Goddess of Islands Remote
‘Great is Artemis of Ephesus’, I echo biblical words
shouted by devoted cities before their towers fell
Queen of the Beasts and Protector of the Walls,
citadel-crowned and adorned with honeybees,
Mother of the Highest Point, the Safest Place
You stroke the soft manes of lions, teeth still bloody,
and rest Your heels upon the backs of castrated bulls
Lady of All Things Wild, even in the desert You roam
Among darkened tombs and monoliths You wander,
between oases trailing dusty caravans
golden lion, sand cat, tearer of flesh
Hatsepshut called You Pakhet,
watching over her daughter as
You guard Your own kittens
Goddess of the Fire, Goddess of the Itching Skin
Goddess of the Foaming Mouth, Goddess of the Bite
Wearing vulpine pelt and Freedom’s cap,
Thracians once addressed You as Bendis
In that land of witches and wild tribes,
You shine a blazing torch in each hand
to illuminate herbs that harm, hinder, or heal
In high boots and bearskin, You lead leaping
hares and walk the sky brightly as the Moon
Queen of Three Worlds who waits at the forked path
where all decisions give birth to future consequence,
the Mysteries gave You many names
Romans knew You as Diana, Hecate
and Proserpine standing side by side,
serpents in Your hair and
hounds at Your feet
Goddess of the Guiding Lights, Goddess of Roads,
Goddess of Gates, Goddess of the Funeral Rites
Artemis, daughter of gentle Leto and friend to noble Herakles,
they now honor You around the world and in varied ways
from Munich to Dublin to Prague to Antwerp to Ankara
from London to Barcelona to Paris to Naples to Athens
from Singapore to Bangkok to Tokyo to Rio to San Juan
from Sydney to Cape Town to Toronto to San Francisco
from Lisbon to Toledo to Calgary to Atlanta to Hatfield
from Minneapolis to Kalamazoo to Kingston to Istanbul
from Cambridge to Miami to Las Vegas to Denver to D.C.
from Eugene to Lombard to Leesburg to Baltimore to Buffalo
from Peabody to Portland to Durham to Albuquerque to Austin
Goddess of Lycia, Goddess of Arcadia,
Goddess of Siracusa, Goddess of Nemi
I ask for nothing but Your confidence
Goddess of the Appalachians, Goddess of the Apennines
Goddess of the Alpheios, Goddess of the Potomac
Cynthia, Melissa, Delia, Alexandria,
I thank You
(dedicated to the New Alexandrians)
neosalexandria 