poem by Donovan Arthen; Snake Woman chant by Starhawk
—
Snake woman shedding her skin

A teacher, a drummer, a flutist, a mother.
A lover, a leader, a wise woman born.

Snake woman shedding her skin

Heartbeat, opened love, embracing and playing, praying for what was always acted upon.
Loving the earth, drumming for peace, building connection, drawing threads together.
Giving voice to what was silent, challenging what seemed easy, a warrior of rhythm, rights, and responsibility.

Photo by Afon Art

Shedding
Her pain

Shedding
Her fear

Shedding her skin

Shedding
Her attachment

Shedding
The form we know

Shedding her skin

Snake Woman shedding her skin.

Two Feathers drift on breezes now
Rustling leaves
Caressing hands and faces
Soothing and smoothing rough skin and painful wounds

Two Feathers float on a river
Carried by the current toward a mystery unknown
Shining with droplets reflecting the brilliant sun.

Two Feathers fan the fires
As drums echo and feet slap the ground
As song erupts from hearts
And magic is made within and without

Two Feathers sit on a mountain
Finding stillness and quiet
Seeing and feeling more slowly
Beholding the expanse of the world that they are.

Two Feathers are woven into a web
Rooted in earth and sky
Now she is everywhere
Now she is everything.