Gestation

Nature becomes ritual a dance to myth

Controlling the turn of pages of religion's pith

Music of metaphor, maestro's baton 

Magic in the magicians wand 

To temple of Diana, deep are the woods, 

A carving in stone of all man's shoulds

Here a fleeing slave having torn a branch from the sacred tree

Defeats the dying god in armed combat's victory 

A god's blood sacrifice crops guarantee 

A new king anointed at the woods of Nemi

Cut from the belly of a dying sun 

Religion born, poetry begun

Author's Note

Nemi associated with the temple of Delphi. Here the king of the woods held his position until a challenger could kill him and take his place. Within recorded history he would sleep on his sword in the woods. This was noted by Sir George Frasier in his book The Golden Bough.