Latter-Day Psalms/Artemis
ARTEMIS
Spirit! Who art purity on the white mountains, which inhabit the zenith with steadfastness;
Who art purity in the crescent moon, that rises in the dawn and is lost in the sun’s light;
Who art purity in the frosty sky; and in the lightning also;
Who art purity in the soul, and lookest out from the eyes like morning.
In a world that is spirit thou art spirit excellent. In a world that is divine thou art the holy of holies.
Where all is beauty thou art that for which beauty strives. Where all is love it is thou that are beloved.
Creation aspires to thee. She exists for thy worship.
As for man, when thou makest his mind thy holy place he knows thee, and his life prophesies thee.
But thou dwellest apart from the multitude, and thy visitation is to the elect.
To him that pleases thee thou hast stooped in his slumber to kiss him; and his dream is of thee, and his desire is toward thee henceforth for ever.
Thou hast stood in his path on the mountain, or in the starlight, and he has bowed down in terror and joy.
For thou art terrible; and if thine elect err thou wilt destroy his soul.
But if he keep him pure for thee and worship thee with his whole heart, there is no joy beside his.
Goddess, dwell in us! For it is better to be thine than our own.
Who art purity in the crescent moon, that rises in the dawn and is lost in the sun’s light;
Who art purity in the frosty sky; and in the lightning also;
Who art purity in the soul, and lookest out from the eyes like morning.
In a world that is spirit thou art spirit excellent. In a world that is divine thou art the holy of holies.
Where all is beauty thou art that for which beauty strives. Where all is love it is thou that are beloved.
Creation aspires to thee. She exists for thy worship.
As for man, when thou makest his mind thy holy place he knows thee, and his life prophesies thee.
But thou dwellest apart from the multitude, and thy visitation is to the elect.
To him that pleases thee thou hast stooped in his slumber to kiss him; and his dream is of thee, and his desire is toward thee henceforth for ever.
Thou hast stood in his path on the mountain, or in the starlight, and he has bowed down in terror and joy.
For thou art terrible; and if thine elect err thou wilt destroy his soul.
But if he keep him pure for thee and worship thee with his whole heart, there is no joy beside his.
Goddess, dwell in us! For it is better to be thine than our own.