WORMWOOD

“We do not remember days; we remember moments.” - Cesare Pavese

The birthday plant for this day is wormwood, Artemisia absinthium. It derived its name from Artemis, the ancient Greek goddess of the moon and the hunt. Wormwood is probably linked to the belief that the herb grew along the track left by the serpent when it slithered out of the Garden of Eden. The herb is used to flavour the potent liquor absinth and also used in making the liqueur Chartreuse. It symbolises absence, calamity, false judgment and affection. In the Old Testament, wormwood signifies moral bitterness. It is under the rule of Mars, astrologically.

The Waking Stones

The April moon waxes its crescent
Its keen cold edge a-shaving eaves;
As wormwood green unfurls its leaves
The wan moonlight shines iridescent.

The night its ancient magic weaves
My eyelids turn to lead, quiescent;
Drab night birds raise cries incessant,
Unseen, as secretive as furtive thieves.

Dark stones are touched by moon
And in their heart a waking spell
Is roused; they shake, they swell
And they stir none but too soon.

Absinth undrunk, curt note, farewell;
The serpent gone, its tracks strewn
With Artemisia grey, a sad old tune,
An empty house where once I used to dwell.

The stones have woken, and they walk
I sleep and dream and lie alone.
Rocks run, and all the while they talk
In voices loud, in endless monotone:

“She’s left you now, she’s up and gone
Nevermore will the doors unlock…”
I dream, and waking stones do mock
My hopes betrayed, but taken hostage until dawn.