The Fires of Initiation

Heading into the second day of infusions of round one (or five, depending on how you count it).  This is the double dose day.  I woke up feeling strong and calm after a few days of some anxiety about it.  I've gotten through this before.  I can again.  I woke up in the night with the words "The fires of initiation" and I had the title for this poem.

Below are two SoulCollage® cards - one is my card for the fire element; one is a card of offering to fire.

What is happening in my body

is happening in and to the earth.

The fires rage, burning their way

to cleansing and renewal.

This is not easy for the people.

Lungs struggle to breathe.

Houses burn to ash.

Forests and animals are

struck down.

To the earth, we are the interlopers,

greedily pushing our way

into places we have

no business occupying.

 

And me?

My body has

interlopers, too.

I am being initiated

by fire.

I am becoming

a fire priestess.

I follow the burning

in and through channels

and watch things die.

I learn to stir a cauldron

bubbling over flames, cooking

down all that needs

transforming, everything ready

to melt into new form.

 

And so I say –

Fire, your power is

undeniable; your genius

rolls out over many fields

Here is an offering.

My basket is empty now,

my water gourd running low.

May renewal come.

  

I hate the way Blogger is formatting this, but can't see a way to change it.