Sanguine

I took this photo on Friday after an entire day's worth of rain- a double rainbow over the river, the purest form of the Greek goddess Iris, the messenger. I find it touching that I saw it, and then several other symbols as I was out of the house- a red fox trotting up to the car, a single bottle of Ommegang Rare Vos ("sly fox") sitting all alone (something I associate with my dear friend Jeffrey,) and a generous gift from a complete stranger of a reusable shopping bag that I had long been in search of- the design on it was drawn by a child in crayon, and is of an earth-mother goddess figure in a night sky.

For this, I leave the world with Neil Gaiman's Blueberry Girl, a gift he wrote for his good friend Tori Amos' daughter Tash before she was born- a gift, in fact, for all girls.


Ladies of Darkness, and Ladies of Never-You-Mind,
this is a prayer for a Blueberry Girl;
First: May you ladies be kind.

Keep her from spindles and sleeps at sixteen;
Let her stay waking and wise.
Nightmares at three, or bad husbands at thirty;
These will not trouble her eyes.

Dull days at forty, full springs at fifteen;
Let her have bright days and true.
Let her go places that we've never been;
Trust and delight in her youth.

Ladies of Grace, and Ladies of Favour,
and Ladies of Merciful Night,
this is a prayer for a Blueberry Girl,
Grant her your clearness of sight.

Worlds can be worrisome, people complex;
Motives and manners unclear.
Grant her the wisdom to choose her path right,
Free from unkindness and fear.

Let her tell stories, and dance in the rain,
Somersault, tumble, and run;
Her joys must be high as her sorrows are deep,
Let her grow like the weed in the sun.

Ladies of Paradox, Ladies of Measure,
Ladies of Shadows-That-Fall;
this is a prayer for a Blueberry Girl,
Words written clear on the wall.

Help her to help herself, help her to stand,
Help her to lose, and to find.
Teach her we're only as big as our dreams,
tell her that fortune is blind.

Truth is a thing she must find for herself,
precious, and rare as a pearl;
Give her all these, and a little bit more,
gifts for a Blueberry Girl.