Homeric Hymn to Mother Earth

from "Numina - Our Changing Earth", a play by Ann Waters

To Earth the Mother of All

I will sing of the well-founded Earth,

mother of all, eldest of all beings.

She feeds all creatures that are in the world,

all that go upon the goodly land,

all that are in the paths of the seas, and all that fly;

all these are fed of her store.

Through you, O Queen, we are blessed

In our children, and in our harvest

and to you we owe our lives.

Happy are we who you delight to honor!

We have all things abundantly:

our houses are filled with good things,

our cities are orderly,

our sons exult with feverish delight.

(May they take no delight in war)

Our daughters with flower-laden hands

play and skip merrily over the soft flowers of the field.

(May they seek peace for all peoples)

Thus it is for those whom you honor,

O holy Goddess, Bountiful spirit!

Hail Earth, mother of the gods,

freely bestow upon us for this our song

that cheers and soothes the heart!

(May we seek peace for all peoples of the well-founded earth)

Homeric Hymn XXX,

adapted by Elizabeth Roberts

Earth Day 2014

Gaia, mother of all,
I shall sing,
the strong foundation, the oldest one.

She feeds everything in the world.
Whoever walks upon her sacred ground,
or moves through the sea,
or flies through the air, it is she
who nourishes them from her treasure-store.
Queen of Earth, through you
beautiful children
beautiful harvests,
come.

It is you who gives life to mortals,
and who takes life away.
Blessed is the One you honour with a willing heart.
One who has this has everything.
Their fields thicken with life-giving corn,
their cattle grow heavy in the pastures,
her house brims over with good things.*

It is you who honoured them,
sacred goddess, generous spirit.
Farewell mother of the gods,
bride of starry Heaven.
For my song, allow me a life
my heart loves.

Homeric Hymn to Gaia XXX, translated by Jules Cashford.

* The original pronoun was, of course, "he".  I changed it to remember that not all Beings of the Earth are "he".  I suspect Gaia, in all Her magnificent diversity,  would approve.

Homeric Hymn to Earth

To Earth the Mother of All
I will sing of the well-founded Earth,
mother of all, eldest of all beings.

She feeds all creatures that are in the world,
all that go upon the goodly land,
all that are in the paths of the seas, and all that fly;
all these are fed of her store.

Through you, O Queen, we are blessed
In our children, and in our harvest
and to you we owe our lives.

Happy are we who you delight to honor!

We have all things abundantly:
our houses are filled with good things,
our cities are orderly,
our sons exult with feverish delight.

(May they take no delight in war)

Our daughters with flower-laden hands
play and skip merrily over the soft flowers of the field.

(May they seek peace for all peoples)

Thus it is for those whom you honor,
O holy Goddess, Bountiful spirit!
Hail Earth, mother of the gods,
freely bestow upon us for this our song
that cheers and soothes the heart!

May we seek peace for all peoples of the well-founded earth

Homeric Hymn XXX, adapted by Elizabeth Roberts