Ritual (copyright 1993 Kerri-Ellen Kelly)

Ritual (written in memory of Scott Cunningham copyright 1993 Kerri-Ellen Kelly)

A whirlwind of fire, a whirlwind of fear
A burst of light and magic
Approaches--love draws near
A group of kindred spirits
With sorrow as their toll
To enter in the circle
With joy and comfort as their goal
A mist of wondrous magick
Arises from the crowd
A love so deep, respect so true
They stand both sad and proud
And when the cup is passing
And when the love is felt
The heart begins to rise so high
And differences to melt
A circle born of sadness but made to share their joy
At entrance into wonder--the passing of this boy--
this man--this teacher
friend
This kindred soul of all
His life has met its end
His soul has heard the call
And when the circle closes
And the farewell comes to be
Renewed and filled with fire
Are the we and me and thee
Blessed Be

To Ride the Lightning (copyright 1989 Kerri-Ellen Kelly)

To Ride the Lightning (copyright 1989 Kerri-Ellen Kelly)

Walking on the edge of danger
Soaring far from hearth and home
Taking chances for discovery
Though I fear, I have to roam
Learning how to ride the lightning
Born again to feel the all
Breaking down the walls that bind me
Coming forth to hear the call

All the world is all around us
Blind and deaf, I cannot see
Fear to face before my seeking:
If I go on, will I be me?
Now that I am not a mirror
Of the way I am perceived,
If I reach my true potential
Will I be as I believed?

Yet I know the choice is taken
As it was when first I knew
To be whole I'd face all dangers
To myself I must be true
Though awareness has to change me
Though I know no what will come
Each part of me will still be in me
The whole is greater than the sum

I face my fear and choose despite it
To go on and free my soul
Yes I choose to ride the lightning
To touch the stars--to make me whole

All Are Chosen (copyright 1988 Kerri-Ellen Kelly)

All Are Chosen (copyright 1988 Kerri-Ellen Kelly)

Through the ebon bands of darkness
In the quiet storm-tossed sea
Lies a soul of secret value
Lies a soul who might be me

The feelings flash like fire across her
Desire screams deep in her core
Flares of fear and love and longing
Silently the soul screams more

Ever reaching, ever yearning
Ever stretching out through space
Still she waits in tender anguish
Still she cries to know her place

She used to be both black and twisted
Now love and glory lie in her reach
But only if she finds another
Willing to wait and care and teach

She gazes at each kindred spirit
Wonders if he'll set her free
She cries when others then are chosen
All are chosen...
All but me.

Requiescat in Pacem (copyright 1983 Kerri-Ellen Kelly)

Requiescat in Pacem (copyright 1983 Kerri-Ellen Kelly)

Through all the corners
of my mind,
I wander
Turning, with a wond'ring glance,
around
I stumble 'cross the tarnished baubles
that mark the successes
of my past
Suddenly, I come to the wall
which my mind has erected over the past few months
Examining its construction,
I finally move to plug up the tiny hole
which I had previously
considered unimportant
Yet the pressure is too great
to withstand the feeble stopper
which is myself
Like that dike, long ago,
my wall now crumbles
unrestrained
Technicolor zephyrs and
a deafening cacophony
of dissonant noises
come bursting out,
refreshing my numbed memory
with pain
unsuccessfully suppressed
Dragging me down
with vicious intensity
through a
glistening, sucking
maw
into the
darkness of solitude,
the black agony of
betrayal
I am
digested by
an ebony whirlpool of
unrelieved depression
Subsiding beneath
the crashing swirling waves,
I pass from all
knowledge and comprehension
Rest in sorrow
Rest in peace