Multiconstruct

It’s been a great long holiday weekend visiting with family and friends. Even with a doctor’s appointment and some work it’s been nice to focus on family and connection and making memories. Most significantly I finished the final edits on my manuscript and The Practical Guide to Building a Better World will get its layout and final design this week. Very exciting.

We’ve also had a tremendous spring this year and we found time to visit with the Spring ephemerals. With a long frost free period with rain the flowering trees have put on a show and are mostly supported by the budding hardwoods.

Easter is a time of new beginnings. The Spring renewal. I thought I might share my Easter poem/song I wrote some years back. We know of the eponymous Eostre only through the writings of the 8th century, I think, ecclesiastical historian the Venerable Bede. As a super nerdy kid I have been a fan since high school.

He records her name and that the preconquest European indigenous honored her at this time of year. That’s it.

Looking at religious origins of European religions the spring nature goddess Eostre was likely a close cousin of Assana/Astarra. Their stories are better preserved. Her hares ate the dark covering that surrounded the sun, freeing it for the first sunrise. Thanks for the dawn Easter Bunny!

Eggs are of course a symbol of life. Think The Great Egg of Euphrates. With that laid out here’s my Easter ditty.

The Venerable Bede was a friend to me

‘Cuz he told stories

Stories of the way things used to be

Before the great genocide of Europe

That came with the coming of Christianity.

Eostre/Astara/Asana was the goddess of fertility

She sent her swift hares to guide us

From the darkness  to the light where we can see

And water drawn on Easter morn is holy

Eggs represent the Earth’s fecundity

And Easter’s really about Eostre

The forgotten women erased from history.

Be peace today. Get outside and see the beauty. Recommit to a life worth living.