Stephen is a web developer, Bahá'í, and interfaith activist in St. Paul, Minnesota. He likes to write about religion, social justice, sustainability, science, programming, &c.

• Blog
• Tech
• Articles
• Web Design
• More
• Elsewhere

poetry, prose, and other strings of words · 1993 - 2003

The Sacrifice

Number 97

December 12, 1995

If you own the album The Memory of Trees by Enya, then put it in and play the third track: Pax Deorum. The following poem is an expression of a vision I had while hearing the song for the first time. I am not one prone to visions—in fact, I have never had one before or after, at least not like this. I was taken to another place, and the feeling of being there under the knife was quite real, though not alarming. But the experience is one I do not wish to ever forget, though it was strange indeed. For it was not until later that I learned that pax deorum literally means "the peace of the gods" in Latin...

I lay down,
Quiet as the dusk around,

The stars,
Overhead where the heavens are found;

The drums beat,
The primal beat of my life;

The stones cold,
Where I sit and wait for the knife;

My body flat,
Over the lichen covered rock;

Ready am I,
The world who is my keeper
Shall take me there,
And never let me down again;

I begin to let go,
Knowing my body will soon be leaving;

The robed one stands,
As I sit, there is no deceiving;

Spirit at rest,
For now is the time;

All stand still,
Though this is no punishment of crime;

The wizened hand,
Lowering, I let myself go;

And slip,
Into the world around,
Never feeling,
Only the honor do I feel;

Peace,
   Enters me,
Surrounding,
   Encloses me,
The me,
   That I am not,
I release,
   Am now one,
Unto God,
   Do I give...