Queens of everything,
Goddesses of the cosmos,
lend us your good judgment,
your wisdom, your knowledge,
and your means for effecting change,
that we may be powerful enough,
and righteous enough,
and kind enough,
to help protect and care for
ourself, those we love, and
the innocently suffering oppressed,
the unjustly wronged and injured,
the enslaved and the despairing,
the maddeningly sick and the sickeningly mad,
and let us work your will in
their care, their assistance,
and delivery or vengeance
as you will.

—Poetry, Songs, and Enchantments: A Pagan Sourcebook
Gwenhwyfar Rhwwttchen

 

Workshop

A witches’ workshop on creating
amulets and talismans and charms
to be worn pendant
around neck or ears or wrists or waist
to be wrapped widthwise and lengthwise
round the body or objects
intended to be protected.
A white witch seeking only to help
A black witch seeking only to harm
A green witch seeking only to grow
All attend to learn
how to incorporate
power into substance
word craft into handcraft
All working in the same shop.

I choose neither left nor right but a third or fifth middle path
Valuing not only survival
but also flourishing.

—Poetry, Songs, and Enchantments: A Pagan Sourcebook
Gwenhwyfar Rhwwttchen

 

Burning Times

 

The songs are sung to rouse our anger
Of martyred witches gone to the fire
But what is served by righteous singing
When all we do is stew in our ire?
Nine million dead in four hundred years
More in that time simply died of disease.
Why do we dwell on long-passed dead
When we are alive in times like these?

Rise up, Witches, throw off your masks
And cease crying guilt for ancient crimes;
Earth and all her children need us,
For all face now the Burning Times.

In the face of that hostile power,
How did the old knowledge stay alive?
How do we have a Craft to practice?
Our ancestors knew how to fight and survive!
How do we honor our blessed dead?
Slavery threatens all but the few!
We must teach their cunning ways;
Everyone needs the skills they knew.

Rise up, Witches, gather your strength,
And let your power spread and climb;
Earth and all her children need us,
For all face now the Burning Times.

I’ll not cast off science’s works
Witches all forces to Will can bend.
I’ll not accuse, for war and waste,
Some patriarchy of faceless Men.
Men do not cast the only votes;
Women alone do not demonstrate.
Rather than shut out half the race,
Who, if not we, will change that state?

Rise up, Witches, gather your strength,
And let your power spread and climb;
Earth and all her children need us,
For all face now the Burning Times.

I will not blame a Father’s Church –
Blame and guilt are Their tools, not mine.
And even in the schools and churches
Allies there will I seek and find!
I will not answer hate with fear;
Nor with a smug, cheek-turning love;
I will not answer hate with rage;
By strength alone will I not be moved!

Rise up, Witches, gather your strength,
And let your power spread and climb;
Earth and all her children need us,
For all face now the Burning Times.

I will not hide in my sacred grove –
The factories and cities yet ring me about.
I will not climb my ivory tower –
The real world exists though I shut it out.
I will not work for Church nor State
Who serve themselves while they serve us lies.
Nor only for my Witchen kin
But for the family of all alive!

Rise up, Witches, gather your strength,
And let your power spread and climb;
Earth and all her children need us,
For all face now the Burning Times.

So if rebellion means to fight
A State lost sight of why it was built,
If heresy’s to reject a Church
That rules with force or fear or guilt,
Then let us all be rebels proud,
And shameless heretics by creed!
A tyrant’s hand subjects the Earth
More heretic rebels are what She needs!

Rise up, Witches, gather your strength,
And let your power spread and climb;
Earth and all her children need us,
For all face now the Burning Times.

—Leigh Ann Hussey
Published on Pagan Library

Victims of Hate

This prayer is dedicated to all the victims of hate.
To those who fight to keep us free.

We gather in our secluded space in the forest.
The wind blows through my hair
Our capes keep us warm against change of season
We stand as the beauty of Mother Earth surrounds us.
A gentle rain falls and we know we are one with the elements

We form our circle around the fire.
We add rosemary, rose petals, cinnamon and sun flowers to the flames
Each of us forward and add incense to the fire
The flames grow.
We feel the power of the Goddess.
Our circle is formed.

Taking the hand of the Sister next to us, we begin.

We bow to the Goddess
We bow to the corners
We bow to each other
We bow to the light
We bow to the power

We feel the animals as they come
We feel those who have passed before us
We feel those who stand with us

Raising our hands we call on the Goddess

We find the love and compassion of the Goddess
We find the love and compassion of each other
We find the love and compassion of the Witches from the past
We find the love and compassion of those who surround us

We send energy to our families
We send energy to those who live in fear
We send energy to those in pain
We send energy to those in need

We take evil. Fling it into the fire!
We take hate. Fling it into the fire!
We take pain. Fling it into the fire!
We take fear. Fling it into the fire!

We release our power
We release our love
We release our compassion
We release our passion

The animals gather and freely give us their power
The earth sends forth her beauty to us
Those who surround us hold us close
We are safe.

We thank the Goddess
We thank the elements
We thank the animals

We release our hands and know we will be joined soon
As we leave we gather the earth of this space for our work
This space holds our power
We will come again and again
For we are Witches and know our power.

Blessed Be

—A Witch’s Prayerbook, JoAnne Spiese

 

Hymn to the Morrigan

 

O Morrigan, we call your name Across the dusty years.
You speak to us, of blood and lust. You show us all our fears.
You are a goddess, old and wise. Of holy power you have no dearth.
Beneath your wings : Black, Red and White, We learn of death and birth.

You walk about, this ancient land, Your hungers raw and clear.
You make the crops, grow rich and strong, As well your geese and deer.
A flirting maid, a lusty hag, A mother of great girth :
Without the touch of your black wings, We cannot heal the earth.

You float upon, a blood red wave, Of swords and spears and knives.
Your voice inspires, fear and dread, That you’ll cut short our lives.
You try the warriors’, courage sore, Our inner souls unearth.
Without the touch of your red wings, We cannot know our worth.

You fly above the silver clouds, To Manannan’s shining Gate.
You lead the dead along that path, To meet our final fate.
The joke’s on us, we find within, A land of laughter and of mirth.
Without the touch of your white wings, We cannot have rebirth.

 

—-by Isaac Bonewits

We am more than what anyone expects
We am more than what the world sees
We am more than what we show you
We am more than what can be
We am more than women and men
We am part of the earth and the earth is part of us
We feel the best when we are working the earth
We feel fulfilled when we see the growth of the earth
We smell the beauty of the earth when it rain
My self, my Sisters, my Brothers, we are of the earth
The earth is our Mother
We am more than what is seen and more to come
Much more to come

 

—The Poem “I Am” from A Witch’s Prayerbook
JoAnne Spiese

*Should be noted that I did a little re-paraphrasing to Ms. Spiese’s beautiful poem.

 

The Gift

Bewildered and amazed,
I stand before thee;
Receiving thy wisdom
As thou cast thy light upon me.
The overwhelming knowledge given
Seems way too much to bear.
With thy blessings of inner strength
I find it easy, with others, to share!
I know my path in the incarnation,
To serve thee well and true;
I thank thee for thy gift thou hast given,
For this gift has given me life anew!

—By The Light Of The Crystal Moon
Elizabeth Gardiepy

~* ~ Potions and Brews ~* ~

Gather the ingredients
One by one,
Place them in bowls
The spell has begun.
Harness the energy
From the Goddess above,
Charge the herbs
With the power of love.
Simmer in water
As you chant a charm,
Making sure you
Cause no harm.
Now strain and bottle
Your new concoction
Keeping it safe
From impurities and toxin.
If you make this brew
Before the moon does wane,
A strong and powerful
Potion will be your gain.

—By The Light Of The Crystal Moon: A Book of Pagan Poetry and Short Stories
Elizabeth Gardiepy

 

~* ~ A Witch’s Tale ~* ~

What is it like
To cast a spell?
To chant a charm?
To ring a bell?
To cast a circle?
To praise the moon?
To love the Earth?
To read the rune?
To love the Goddess?
To live her way?
To ebb and flow Every day?
The trees, the grass,
The clouds and hills;
All these things
Witchcraft fills.
Every laugh,
Every cry,
Need you ask
The reason why?
The power can be found
From deep within,
When you find it
You’re ready to begin.

—The Light Of The Crystal Moon: A Book of Pagan Poetry and Short Stories
Elizabeth Gardiepy

I AM A WITCH!

When I stand up for myself and my beliefs, they call me a witch.
When I stand up for those I love, they call me a witch.
When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts, or do things my own way, they call me a witch.

Being a witch entails raising my children to be strong people
Who have a solid sense of personal and social responsibility,
Who are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in
And, who love and respect themselves for the beautiful beings they are.

Being a witch means that I am free to be the wonderful creature I am,
With all my own intricacies, contradictions, quirks and beauty.
Being a witch means I won’t compromise what’s in my heart.
It means I live my life MY way. It means I won’t allow anyone to step on me.

When I refuse to tolerate injustice and speak up against it, I am defined as a witch.
The same thing happens when I take time for myself instead of being everyone else’s maid or when I act a little selfish.

I am proud to be a witch! It means I have the courage and strength to allow myself to be who I truly am and won’t become anyone else’s idea of what they think I “should” be.

I am outspoken, opinionated and determined.
By Goddess, I want what I want and there is nothing wrong with that!

So, try to stomp on me, try to douse my inner flame, try to squash every ounce of beauty I hold within me. You won’t succeed.

And if that makes me a witch, so be it. I embrace the title and am proud to bear it. I love this, I can call myself a witch now and not feel bad about it!

Source

Sandi Thomas, Author
Published on The Pagan and Wiccan Information Center

 

Moon Rise

As the moon so bright and full rises in the sky
we look upwards to see our Mother
As the wild ground phlox bloom to its glorious pink
we look to see our Mother.
As the birds return and their voices fill the wind
we look to see our Mother.

The burrows are empty and the animals roam the woods,
our Mother is there.
The caves are empty as the bears roam the forest,
our Mother is there.
The wolf has emerged and she takes her place on the ridge howling towards the wind,
our Mother is there.

We feel drawn to the earth,
our Mother calls us.
We feel drawn to the moon,
our Mother calls us.
We feel the wind around us,
our Mother calls us.

I stand before the moon and face my Mother.
I stand with arms reached out and face my Mother.
I stand humbled before her beauty and face my Mother.

I send the hopes of my family.
I send the prayers of my Sisters.
I send peace and love.

May she answer my prayers.
May she answer my hopes.
May she answer my wishes.

Blessings to my Sisters.
Blessings to our families.
Blessings to our animals.

All is done.
All is well.

 

—A Witch’s Prayerbook, JoAnne Spiese

 

The Night Belongs to Us

As the world sleeps

….We awake

We look towards the moon

….She sends her power

Feeling the wind

….We gather her strength

Our capes flap in the wind

….Wind encircles us

Taking hold of our brooms

….Control comes to us

We ride high this night

….Our silhouettes against the moon

Ride high my Brothers & Sisters

….The night belongs to us

—A Witch’s Prayerbook, JoAnne Spiese

 

Evil

Evil never wins.
It will always be defeated, but there will be casualties.
I look to the Goddess and see her standing besides me.
I find the power which is mine

I raise my sword and defeat the face of evil with the
hands of the Goddess.

She will keep me safe.
For I am her daughter forever.

I gather my Brothers & Sisters close to me
I gather the strength of the Witches from the past
I gather the animals around me

 

My prayer begins:

I stand before the Goddess under this full moon. I seize the power of the moon in my hands. I bring the children to my side. The Goddess sends her light to me.

My family shows the love that we have for each other. May the Goddess send you her power. May those around us feel the joy that we bring to the circle. May prosperity fill our lives.

As her daughters and sons we show our love for Mother Earth daily. She shows respect for all that is alive. We pray for those who live in fear to find safety. We pray for those who live in pain to find compassion. We pray for those in cages to run free. See how the birds fly free in our skies. See how the animals roam free. May their days be long.

I send our power to the four corners. I send our wishes to all. Bless the children. Bless our families. Bless the animals. But most … Blessings to all.

—A Witch’s Prayerbook, JoAnne Spiese

 

Grace of Spirit

Let your arms open wide.
Feel them inside.
Spirits come to you.
Hear their words.
They whisper in the night.
As a choir we hear them,
Singing their desires,
Telling their stories,
The sweet sounds of innocence.
On the wind they lift us.
Knowing who they are,
We are filled with their grace.

—A Witch’s Prayerbook, JoAnne Spiese

 

Known

Out of the dark
Out of the shadows
Out of the closet

Stand and be known…

Draw down the moon
Cast the energy
Work the magick

Stand and be known …

Fear be gone
Hatred is shed
Dread is released

Stand and be known …

Know who you are
Accept who you are
Walk your path

Stand and be known….

For you are daughter & son
For you are sister & brother
For you are a Witch

Stand and be known…..

—JoAnne Spiese, A Witch’s Prayerbook

An it Harm None

This world would be a better place,
If everyone believed,
The pagan rule of bring no harm,
To those who live and breath,
But that’s an idealogoly,
That can never be fulfilled,
For religions all around the world,
Bear other faiths I’ll will.

They all say they are peaceful,
They say their God is right,
They say that if you don’t believe,
You should forfeit your life,
Just look back at history,
And even here today,
Religion is not peaceful,
No matter to whom you pray.

A world without religion?
That’s never going to be,
For faiths will fight to put their God,
On the pinnacle of the tree,
And if there’s no religion,
What then will man fight for?
For man must fight for something,
He must always be at war.

You know my friends, it seems to me,
That whatever you believe,
We only want to live in peace,
But that will never be,
For God will be on both sides,
Fighting against himself,
And we are mere pawns in His game,
His game of cat and mouse.

But we could thwart His little game,
If we only had the will,
To turn our back on evil things,
And bear no one I’ll will,
Following the pagan way,
With nature we’d be one,
And we would praise the morning dew,
And the setting of the sun.

 

—Alan Faraway, Pagan Ways

I, Witch

I am many things,
I am a Daughter, a Lover, and a Friend.
I am a Teacher, a Student, and a Woman.
I am many things,
Wear many costumes,
And act in many ways.
Yet beneath each mask I wear,
I am a Witch.

I am a Priestess,
I follow the Path,
I follow the Old Tradition,
I follow the Ways of the Wise Ones.
I seek to know the God,
I seek to know the Goddess,
I seek to know myself.
I am a Witch.

Though I may only dress up,
For eight sabbats a year,
And thirteen esbats in turn,
I am always a Witch.
Though I may not always dress in black,
Or leave my hair wild and free,
I am still a Witch.

I do not worship Satan,
I’ve never even met him,
Yet many see me as evil,
And magick as a sin.
I do what comes natural,
What the Gods have taught me,
And although it does not conform,
I am still a Witch.
The Goddess shows me beauty,
The God has shown me life,
And Earth, and Air,
And Fire, and Water,
Teach me what is right.
And Spirit in its mystic ways,
Teaches me about myself.
That I am a Witch.

—-Lady Amhranai
Published on Pagan Library

Wisdom

Through the ages I have travelled
I have seen all there is to know
I have entered the space that lies untouched
My power has bridged time
Energy has filled the void
Their voices can be heard
I know what they have been taught
Their memories travel with me
For I know who they are
Our circle remains unbroken
For they call to me
I have come freely to know them
They have passed their knowledge to me
I can feel their thoughts
Their wisdom is mine
From time to time
From Witch to Witch
We are one….

—JoAnne Spiese, A Witch’s Prayerbook

 

The Season’s Circle Turning

 

Til our laughter rings
In the wooded halls
Til the seasons ring round again,
Til the woodland sings
With our laughs and calls
Turn the circle’s ring round again.

It’s the season’s time turning,
Turn the season’s wheel ’round.
Then we’ll spark a fire burning,
Dance the merry turnaround.
Top the hill of the valley,
Come all to our sabat ground.

It’s an ancient tongue’s rhyming,
It’s an age-old time rhyme,
It’s the Wheel that is turning,
Mark the ending and the prime.
Love of life is our yearning,
Acting out the ancient pantomime.

Til our laughter rings
In the wooded halls
Til the seasons ring round again,
Til the woodland sings
With our laughs and calls
Turn the circle’s ring round again.

—-Roy
Published on Pagan Library

The Night Witches

Down on the beach
Standing on a dune
Awaiting nature to teach
By the light of the moon
It’s the witches time
Performing a ritual
The witch speaks in rhyme
This is not unusual
The witch seems wrong
Even strange, to you
But I can understand the song
You see, I’m a witch too.

—-The Werewitch
Poem published on Pagan Library