The Goddess, the Divine Feminine, the Great Mother
She is the peaceful serene surface of the lake
She is its cold depths preserving forever her lost children
She is the warm embrace when all seems lost to us
She is the gentle song which soothes us with her lullaby
Even then the winds whip up and the waters loudly crash
Within her depths all is still calm and quiet
Lake Mother please help me in this time
I cannot go back to the shore where fires burn
But even your waves are rough now
As you worry about your children and draw them near
Mother take this little raft I sit in now
I have tossed my oars when the splinters pierced my hands
My mind was pushing me to the wrong rocky shores
Lake Mother take my little raft far out into the water
Let me sail past shores and shoals, past parks and bays
Let me watch colorful dances and festivals of life
Held on your beaches of sand and smooth stones
For even the stone beaches are places to find and celebrate you
Guide me finally to a new dockyard and put my raft in drydock
Let me rebuild myself far from distraction or conflict
Then, when I am strong again, set me back out into the water
Guide me to a new one for I cannot return to the old
Let your waves slide my raft into the shallow water to the sand
Mother send me to the new shore where I will find peace
And please Lake Mother, send me others to share this new shore
Where we can live and love, garden and build, and remain
A community of your daughters and sons
How this poem came to be born
Before writing this poem, I had written an essay about the idea of resistance and fighting back against, well, you name it in U.S. America. Even after a significant rewrite and several edits, it was still an essay displaying my anger and was wisely and kindly not accepted to RTM. Helen Hwang, primary editor of the RTM editorial circle, emailed me and reminded me of what RTM is supposed to be about and that I needed to reflect on what was causing my anger. As I sat down to do this, I realized that my essay was the worst parts of myself and not representative of the deep reflection, personal and academic, which I typically strive for in my work.
What she wrote gave me a lot to think about, and my thoughts turned to Lake Erie, where I live. I have always felt strongly connected to the water Goddesses; I suppose because the lake is such a large part of my life.
I thought about all her aspects, her harshness, her depths, and the boats which sailed across her. As I meditated on what she wrote and my feelings, I let them go and gave them to the Mother. As I did, I began writing this poem. My poetry is very cathartic for me, but sadly I have not been doing much writing in the past year. I put my feelings into the words and let them go as a prayer to her to help me rebuild what in myself needs to be repaired.
It was not the review’s original intention, but it has helped me reconnect with the part of myself, which has always been my connection with her. I thought I would share what I wrote.