GAIA

Book of the Goddess, by Anna Livia Plurabelle, [© 2002 Anna Livia Plurabelle, All rights reserved], at sacred-texts.com

I.

Hail to the Earth mother, who caused the yellow flowers to blossom, who scattered the seeds of the cactus, as she came forth from Paradise.
Hail to the Earth mother, who poured forth flowers in abundance, who scattered the seeds of the cactus, as she came forth from Paradise.
Hail to the Earth mother, who caused the yellow flowers to blossom, she who scattered the seeds of the cactus, as she came forth from Paradise.
Hail to the Earth mother, who poured forth white flowers in abundance, who scattered the seeds of the cactus, as she came forth from Paradise.
Hail to the goddess who shines in the thorn bush like a bright butterfly.
Ho! she is our mother, goddess of the earth, she supplies food in the desert to the wild beasts, and causes them to live.
Thus, thus, you see her to be an ever-fresh model of liberality toward all flesh.
And as you see the goddess of the earth do to the wild beasts, so also does she toward the green herbs and the fishes.

II.

This many are the days
Since our moon mother,
Yonder in the west
Appeared still small.
When she became fully grown
Seeking yonder along the river courses
The ones who are our mothers,
Female willow,
Four times cutting the straight young shoots,
To my house
I brought my road.
This day,
With my warm human hands
I took hold of them.
I gave my offerings human form.
With the striped cloud tail
Of the one who is my grandmother,
With the striped cloud wings
And massed cloud tails
Of all the birds of summer,
With these four times I gave my offerings human form.
With the flesh of the one who is my mother,
Cotton woman,
Even a poorly made cotton thread,
Four times encircling them and tying it about their bodies,
I gave the offerings human form
With the flesh of the one who is our mother,
Four times covering them with flesh,
I gave my offerings human form.
In a short time the offerings were ready.
Taking the offerings,
I made my road go forth.
Yonder with prayers
We took our road.
Thinking, "Let it be here,"
Our earth mother
We passed upon her road.
There on your earth mother,
There where you are waiting your offerings
We have passed you on your roads.
There where you are all gathered together in beauty
Now that you are to receive your offerings,
You are gathered together.
This day I give you offerings.
By means of your supernatural wisdom
You will clothe yourself with the offerings.
Wherever you abide permanently,
At the place of the first beginning,
Touching one another with your offerings,
You will bend down to talk together.
From where you abide permanently,
Your little wind-blown cloud,
Your thin wisps of cloud,
Your hanging stripes of cloud,
Your massed up clouds, replete with living waters,
You will send forth to stay with us.
They will come out standing on all sides.
With your fine rain caressing the earth,
With your weapons, the lightning,
With your rumbling thunder,
Your great crashes of thunder,
With your fine rain caressing the earth,
Your heavy rain caressing the earth,
With your great pile of waters here
With these You will pass us on our roads.
In order that you may come to us thus
I have given you offerings. My mothers,
When you have taken your offerings,
With your waters,
Your seeds,
Your riches,
Your power,
Your strong spirit,
Will all your good fortune whereof you are possessed,
Me you will bless.
This day, my mothers,
I have given you offerings.
The source of our water of life.
The source of our flesh,
Flesh of the white corn
I give to you.
Taking your offerings,
With your waters,
Your seeds,
Your riches,
Your long life,
Your old age,
With all your good fortune
You will bless us.
This is all.

III.

I will sing of well-founded Earth, mother of all, globe of our birth.
She feeds all creatures, all that go upon the goodly land,
And all that are in the paths of the seas, and all that fly:
All these are fed of her store.
Through you, O queen, women are blessed in their children and blessed in their harvests,
And to you it belongs to give means of life to mortal women and to take it away.
Happy is the woman whom you delight to honor!
She has all things abundantly: her fruitful land is laden with corn,
Her pastures are covered with cattle, and her house is filled with good things.
Such women rule orderly in their cities:
Great riches and wealth follow them:
Their daughters exult with ever-fresh delight,
Their daughters in flower-laden bands play
They skip merrily over the soft flowers of the field.
Thus is it with those whom you honor
O holy goddess, bountiful spirit.

IV.

I will sing of well-founded Earth,
Mother of all, eldest of all beings.
She feeds all creatures that are in the world,
All that go upon the goodly land,
And all that are in the paths of the seas,
And all that fly: all these are fed of her store.
Through you, O queen, women are blessed in their children
And blessed in their harvests,
And to you it belongs to give means of life
To mortal women and to take it away.
Happy is the woman whom you delight to honor!
She has all things abundantly:
Her fruitful land is laden with corn,
Her pastures are covered with cattle,
And her house is filled with good things.
Such queens rule orderly in their cities of fair women:
Great riches and wealth follow them:
Their daughters exalt with ever-fresh delight,
Their daughters in flower-laden bands play
And skip merrily over the soft flowers of the field.
Thus is it with those whom you honor
O holy goddess, bountiful spirit!