"AN ENCHANTMENT"

In the series of Rites sponsored by the Bay Area community in 1995 ev., I had the opportunity to participate in "Jupiter" as the Sphinx. Rumor had it that the reason there were so few speeches in any of the Rites for the various personae played by Leila Waddell was because Crowley wasn't over-fond of her Australian accent, deeming it unsuitable for dramatic declamation. But since the local custom is that each ritual team may perform their Rite as they Will, and I have no such problem with good-sounding vocal production, I composed the following invocation to stand as equivalent to those of Typhon and Hermanubis in this section. -- Leigh Ann Hussey

Out of the deeps and hollows and the dark barrows,
Out of the heavens with fiery kiss descending,
Echoing down the channels of blood and marrow,
Sund'ring the veil of the worlds, with a silken rending;

Summoned and waking,

Seizing the heart and limbs, leaving them shaking.

Bitter and burning, power within ascended,
Called to respond by a fierce, irresistive captor.
Utt'rance by words unburdened; and comprehended
Only by those who are likewise possessed in rapture.

Pentecost searing,

Flames in the singing mouth, and in the hearing.

Vision beyond eyes' sight and age beyond season,
Word beyond meaning and touch beyond all sensation --
Neither may passion answer, neither may reason;
No course remains but surrender to penetration

By the unyielding

Joy like a light, keen sword, sweet to the wielding.

Mantic illumination and the inspiring
Breath of the god that both body and brain enkindles,
Prophesy, dreaming fury, music untiring,
Poetic madness that waxes while reason dwindles,

Now is it risen --

Foundations quake; it shouts, free of its prison.