The Serpent Song

~
 David Borg

Content
The Serpent Flute

Ripples of Creation

Woodsmith of the World

Sparks of Creation

Journey of the Soul

Dyad of Eternity

Sacred Marriage

Secret Fire

Descent Into the Abyss

Ascension into Brilliant Darkness

 ~
The Serpent Flute
~
By the ten strings of the harp abide
in which the decad of mystery reside
Listen carefully to loud silence here
how else to understand going where?

Painting music as weaving time

at the edge of the world being rhyme
Pan dancing with a flute around the fire
music of the spheres about the higher

A sphere of a snake biting it’s own tail

the serpent in the wilderness in truth
Jörmungandr can not stop to bewail
a heel treading the serpent not avail

Column of smoke burning fervent

primordial echo from the cavern current
Drum before time with pulse strong
a heart to which death do not belong

Pan distance keeps away from heat

servant of the music helping the beat
Ripples on the lake of being you face
a fountain at the center of the maze

How to confuse the drop with the ocean

when Pan encircles the center of motion?
 How can the flute resound with power
a heart or a vein: which resounds louder?

Mead of Kvasir from a well springs

heed to the current and receive wings
Dark sayings of old hidden
words of wisdom given

A spotted leopard moving about

constellations in motion declare without
Cycles of seasons in many colors now
a robe similar to which the twelve bow

Wise as serpent and meek as a dove

hen of the Orphic egg surround above
The rod of Asclepius and Pan’s flute
the ladder vocal-chords made mute

He breathed into the nostrils of dust

precious marvel understand you must
Wind instrument of the spirit alive became
playing the song awakening the lame

The serpent ascended to sapphire great

without shedding it’s skin and weight
A morning star that traversed the wave
across the crossroads of life he gave

The path all must take

Enoch knows what about this to make
Dante likewise traversed the journey
Hercules the ecliptic labor was worthy

The serpent path windy is

narrow to ascend do not miss!
A column of smoke purging shadows
Pan retreating to the meadows

This has been the serpent’s line

the pipe of time I wished to be mine.

~
Ripples of Creation
~
Chrysanthemum of speech!
 Sap running through the veins of space
and blood of the spirit inebriation
A song of birds ethereal

Bane of the wheel of change

a transformation inevitable!
Spinning of Cronus’ tendons
becoming vocal-chords of the soul’s harp

Reflection of the primordial mirror

the vision of the cosmic dance!
Interpretation of life’s composition
by stilling the typhonic panther storm

Accident of lightning captured!

Furnace of the mouth: a Phoenix abode
Meaningless nonsense – a primordial echo
Wisdom of depression unearthed

Silence of the timeless roar

constellations music expressed
Song of the Rooster at morning dusk
radiance of the midnight sun

Ascent of the serpent’s column

anxieties venom purified to perfection
Hunt for the strand of a lion’s hair
mind of the sphinx unsheathed

Philosopher’s sword speaking

of the blindfold giving eyes to the heart
Drops of sweat collected from heavy clouds
Evaporation of tears crowned by a rainbow

Rehearsal of the four stages of life

a pilgrimage of life’s cycles
Mediation between dawn and dusk
flowering of redemption’s blossom

Microcosmic expression
of the macrocosmic song!

Wind of the septenary flute

underestimated breath of mankind.

~
 Woodsmith of the World
~
In the dark of the Earth
myriads of stars full of mirth
In company of jewels as fruits mellow
the midnight sun brooding below

From the ground the axis rises

trees as pillars towards gold gazes
Crafted in philosophical fire
man likewise ascends to admire

Abundance of warmth in darkness is

stars abundant: a crown can not miss
A mother forgotten with beauty meek
returning to the bosom we all seek

Hammer against anvil blazes

ax against trees it faces
Living water tempering wood
fire inescapable disappearing for good

The carpenter forged with clay

from which trees grew on their way
Odin hanged on the wood nine days be
with clay the word made blind man see

Forging creation seven days complete

with Mjölnir the divine hammer replete
At the setting of the sun at dawn
the threshold of life a bow drawn

Lightning striking the cosmic sea

on the anvil of life
how can now Tiamat be?

~
Sparks of Creation
~
Restless pursuit of the sound of a flute

Violent chase pursuing the stag

failure to acquire without wearing a rag
The stag must come to you when you are mute

A sleep of death fell upon my being

a dream of life bursting I was seeing
A crown of thunder like the sun
a throne towards which I did run

I see sparks of creation lightning

coming from the anvil of a heart fighting
Horns of thoughts as words spoken
drink from the mead and hearken

The stag wearing stripes of a tiger

a fisherman pursuits in silence higher
Entering the mirror of the soul
you must descend and come out whole

Branches of a tree are the veins of power

the trunk is a tower of my understanding
the roots of a child in a pregnant woman

Understand the roar of the bellowing ox

a thunder primordial
a sacrifice continual

The horns of the stag grew into a tree

bearing fruit of intuition to see
Paths of life winding from a being tall
gods of inspiration in the throne hall

Beings bowing and kneeling wide

to the One enthroned you can not hide
Horns as rib-cage of the cosmos manifest

Thorns of lightning containing

the bird of the spirit unwavering!

In the dream of being the stag arose

from kneeling carrying the world rose
The horns descended into my soul
piercing my flesh and spirit whole

I saw the cosmic currents of life

reaching into depth and abyss
The rivers of a matrix feeding a babe
nourishing roots of the cosmic life

I awoke from death opening the cave

 speaking to the stag on the brink
It told me to feel and not to think
with intuition spontaneous be brave.

~
Journey of the Soul
~
I pondered and sought a jewel lost
I searched for the sun during the night
I longed for the moon at time of day

Traversing night I looked into my earth

A woman governing and ruling night
a heart alight with kindness bright

A pearl necklace as long as my life

written in the sand with an eagle feather
washed away with the tide of life

The past are the footprints of the spirit

The future is the crossroads between the eyes
The present is the handprint of eternity

Beginning and end are one beat

from the same heart
Living in the present honors the past
it builds the future vast

My years became as months and days

between morning and evening
I found the midday moon

Traversing day I looked into my heaven

A man ruling order and love at day
a driver of pearls with a rod of lightning
a crown of light above the heights

In a split second of a life

like a deer staggering with fear
Cornered at the brink of strife
listen to what holds you dear

Life is the knife edge of a feather

a threshold of many colors ether
A scale of mortality in the balance true wonder
life lived and beauty you must ponder

My seconds became lifetimes past

In a blink of an eye
I found the midnight sun vast.

~
Dyad of Eternity
~
Philosophy without song is blind
poetry the sister a brother needs
The sun together with moon as mind
a body equally important it heeds

Alone a waterfall can not be

rainbow dances round about
A mouth needs tongue to see
man and woman can not without!

This is the reality of things

a dyad of the Gemini everywhere is
Horns of Taurus as couple rings
philosophy needs poetry for this

Beholder and beholden

two sides of one coin
Heaven and earth unfolded
two eyes of one to join.

~
Sacred Marriage
~
Nostalgia for the greatness past
man with his energy pursues vast
Mania of grandeur he has
be humble to not stumble, alas

A paradise in hell brick by brick

yet hope remains bright like wick
Mortar of blood and sweat
 with labor is always kept wet

Clay from a virgin soil sacred

taken from the earth exposed naked
Pressed with force into a frame
baked until nothing remain

Yet hope always remain

Goodness of man Paradise regain
a fire salamander sings the refrain

Woman’s beauty almost in silence

men’s brightness must shine in kindness
A palace of the heart enter
home of the spirit tender

Male and female one are

sacred marriage is not far
Fire and water combine to see
creating earth which is to be

Women almost forgotten

yet without a foundation
a house is not begotten

An adviser wise and kind

without which man can not mind

Mystery inexpressible hear

The soul of the nation bright

is a feminine energy making right
The body of the people strong
is a masculine essence – make no wrong

Male is Jupiter the high

yet a body I won’t lie
Female is Saturn low
yet the soul is a lightning bow

Synthesis miraculous
unity in diversity fabulous

Dystopia on the left

Utopia on the right
When the pendulum stop
the hare will end making it’s hop.
 ~
Secret Fire
~
Orobouros circle of fire lit
short and temporary as a fashion hit
Burning but not purging souls
self-consuming with abysmal holes

Walk through fire to not be burnt

a daily struggle for which we all yearn
Painful sweetness cleansing heat
removes kernel from husk as wheat

A secret fire in the hearth of man

with philosophical fire burn it can
Salamander brooding in the spirit
walk with heart without fearing it

Dionysian fire is a sweet pain

bitter aftertaste takes more than gain
Long shortness in a moment’s time
fire madness that extends the climb

The fireman puts out his own flame

a devastating storm that pursues fame
Courage and cowardice related are
from the same flame and heart is chars

Dionysian fire transformation bright

yet the smoke choking avoid right
The fire eater delights in danger
transcendence life can not wager

Fire breathers are dragon’s sorrow

dragon-slayers of eternal morrow
Shadows flee from the searing heat
the courageous spirit will have for meat

Through the circle is rebirth immaterial

the furnace womb burning ethereal
The hearth of hearts kindled within
phoenix rising touching the soul’s skin

Sword of being is every sharp

tongue of the spirit a sacred harp
Fire inconsumable is fought
 fiery serpents playing in thought

Shadows ablaze flowing through air

calming storm to save is always there

Avoid dying by firing squad

meteor brimstone burning loud
Rather die at the reddening stage
three animals conquer to your wage

Sapphire lion sunflower on high

feed it always when walking by

Ruby tiger quick and sharp

Straddle the animal and wield the saber
savor it’s lightning, do not waver

A many-spotted emerald leopard

Charred grass fur of fertile ashes
with many teeth it gnashes
thoughts, manifestations and aspects

Lion head, tiger body and leopard tails

A courageous temperament ablaze!
Pegasus, Griffon and Sphinx
slaying the chimera and it bewails.

~
Descent Into the Abyss
~
Worse than murder of others
is murder of self
The prior can not be
without the latter
Sorrow and anger
mixed together
Confusion of opposites
mixed without union
Separation of unity
demonization of self without mercy
A violent sea
with quiet waves
Avoids eye contact
 with your own soul
The Gorgon it harbors
fearing being petrified
A quiet mouth
binding the tongue
Flies blocking the gates
from eagles arrival
Acedia worse
A silent killer
Don’t kill
the spirit
Humble body
Peace of soul
Contentment of spirit
Flood gates opened
rivers of Paradise flowing
Watering the Tree of Immortality
by which you will find shade
Charybdis becomes still
The basilisk struck with trident
Depression at last
becomes the gift of prophecy.

~
Ascension into Brilliant Darkness
~
Mastery is slow
lordship is pain
Learning to shot the golden bow
better aim as not to be in vain

Take your time

a bread of many crumbs
Everything good is fine
a foundation lay as not to succumb

Hear the secret of the ages

 eternity is present
Labor now required to earn wages
yet eternity is present everywhere

Best things in life

are unknowable things
Planing leads to strife
but who knows what freedom brings?

Anxiety in front
depression behind
Wash your face in the font
shadows of good don’t remind

Boredom and restlessness siblings are

thought of future or past mistakes are
The present is the axis mundi not afar
in times of depression take a nap

Walk between sorrow and anger

the parents of malady
Abide on the middle path
to avoid fatality

A minute in a lifetime
a year as a day
Many drops to make wine
a heart fills the horn all the way

Your life written in your bone

despite what you think best
Sailing the river you are never alone
its current will lead you to rest

What we seek often present are

much struggle to acquire dust
The great is small and not far
do not pursue golden rust

When the road seems slow

or when the stride is to fast
Have courage, stand firm and go
trying to become first will end last!

Time sings it’s song

water hollowing rock
Man’s heart is gold to be purified strong
endure until you reach dock.