The Fourth Day

From outside the bright and unending light
The Spoken and the Speaker called to one
Another; it was so. In pure delight
The firmament gave birth to mighty sons
And daughters, too; empty space now undone.
Seven children did the Speaker make, to
Govern times and seasons; their course begun,
They will reign until the day earth, made new,
Is, of time, no longer in need. "TO YOU

MIGHTY SOLIS," He said, "I give the day.
You are the Son of Light, giver of Gold,
And wisdom, chasing mists of doubt away.
Like a man, strong in valiant youth, take hold
The reins your chariot offers and be bold
In your conquest of the sky. Come, Bridegroom,
Leave your nuptial tent and search out the cold
Surface of earth, her power to chill consume.
Kiss the earth with warm joy; bring her to bloom.

"LADY LUNA, silver huntress," said He,
"To you I give the long night, serve her well.
Though you wax and wane, through melancholy
Moods show inconstancy, and some compel
To madness, you impart through dewy spell
Rhythm and maturity, granting sleep
'And drench of dream' to weary heads. Farewell
To day and with him, hurried thoughts that creep
Across the mind. Mother, My children keep.

"SYLVAN MARTIS, to you I give mankind,"
Said He, "And all his efforts to succeed
In life. He will strive, mastery to find,
That his world may be without any need.
War will rise, for impossible indeed
This is apart from Me. With iron staff
You will teach him the art of planting seed;
Hands will work, discerning true wheat from chaff.
Come Harvest, hearts will cheer, red cheeks will laugh.

"BRIGHT VENERIS," He said, "Sweet Morning Star,
I give to you love and society.
Your beauty shining copper-like on far,
Distant fecund fields, in chaste piety,
Will bring them children in variety.
Awake to love, these I have formed from clay;
Teach them to care, and with propriety
To hold one another dear. I today
Have shown you love; love which they must obey.

"SWIFT MERCURIUS, "said He, "with winged foot
You will fly. To you I give mankind's Speech
That by your art they may learn to love what
I have Said. By words and sounds you will teach
Them the depth of creation's Beauty. Each
Of my words, the quicksilver-like glory,
Fill the earth; your words, they will use to preach
My grace, to train their youth, to bless the hoary
Haired heads; to live and to love the story.

"JOCUND JOVIS," He said, "To you I give
Life and laughter, and vernal jollity.
Winter is gone; teach your subjects to live
In light of the Great Feast. Eternity
Will be their end. With ripe hilarity
Share with them the Joke: red wine served in tin;
Mighty king, as bells sing and banners flee
Before the wind, teach my children to grin,
To laugh, and to love, for Me they will win.

"WISE OLD SATURNIS, Father Time, "He said,
"To you I give the leaden weight of age.
The fruit of the branch must yellow, and, dead,
Fall to the ground. But my children will wage
War with death. This they must not do. Assuage
Their fears. Tell them of seeds and how they grow,
For thus their bodies enter the next stage.
Bearing resurrected fruit they must go
To the four winds, and your full purpose show.

THUS HE SPAKE, and thus they were: sevenfold
Deities to rule the life-filled heaven.
They govern times and seasons from of old;
They are the captains of His Host. Seven
Lords and Ladies, formed for the sake of men.
Servants of all, they only bow the knee
To One. Before Him they have always been,
And in His presence they find they are free
To be what they were created to be.

For in Him is all Light; Golden and wise,
He keeps those who sleep 'neath the silver light.
He is true Man. With fire in His eyes,
Glistening love, and true solid delight,
He sends for His Bride, and all through the night
Feasts in the laughter and joy of His love.
For by Death He has bought her; death she might
Have tasted but for His grace. By the Dove
Death has died. Glory be to God above.

Day to day pours out speech that must be heard,
Their voice goes out through all the wind-blown earth.
Night to night reveals knowledge of the Word;
His heavens proclaim to all their worth.
His glory is seen in their very birth,
For He holds all of His creation dear.
There is no speech nor are there words whose mirth
Is not heard, by those who, in hearing, hear.
This is their song, sung in joy and in fear.

This song sung in seven part harmony
Joins the great dance, and calls all to the floor
To circle Him in great polyphony,
With ever increasing speed they adore
The risen Lamb who as King sits before
The Great Ancient of Days. Faster they dance;
Quicker, quicker they move. As planets soar
Through their planned steps, we are given the chance
To gaze with wonder on their great expanse.

We behold their steps, their mighty reel.
By the light of their dance we reap and sow;
We love and laugh, we sleep and die; and feel
They were given so upward we might grow.
Therefore, Praise God from Whom all blessings flow
He is the only one in whom we boast.
Praise Him all creatures who are here below
Praise Him above, all you Heavenly Host
Praise the great Father, Son and Holy Ghost.