Haikai-renga by Yvonne Aburrow and Oino Sakai
"Once my people roamed the great forests of Germania... We climbed the Hartz Mountains and burned the great ash trees there so the sweet smoke would carry our prayers to heaven. A long time ago, but the soul never forgets."
Oino Sakai
Walpurgisnacht is the German equivalent of Beltane, the spring festival, otherwise known as May Eve. Traditionally this was a time when faeries walked the earth, and the people would gather to celebrate the coming of summer.
It was also a time of joy, dancing, and sexual licence, when sexuality was dedicated to the gods and goddesses, and any children resulting from the revelry considered to be especially blessed.
Walpurgisnacht
climbed the mountain at sunrise
- sweet smoke ascending.
Yvonne
age-old holy duty
our prayers to Allvater
a people at peace
Oino
Scattering flowers
on the midsummer altar
- sunrise pierced the mists.
Yvonne
last year's children
singing a new song
lovers trysting
Oino
dancing the circle
weaving life among the stones
we dream together
Yvonne
immortal slumber
star-cycles wheeling
fallen ashlars
Oino
Hyperspace Beltane
galactic hub our maypole
love among the stars
Yvonne