The Goddess' Falcon!

I went to see Maleficent last night and have once again been changed by 98 minutes of watching a Disney film. I will not be giving away anything here, in fact I am not even going to say anything about the movie. What I will say is that it brought back a memory of a piece I had written in 2003, shortly after leaving my husband of 30 years. I was reading a Rumi poem, which I present 1st and it inspired my response to the story; My Story. I have revised it to use Goddess language as at that time I was still in the chains of the Patriarchal Church. In fact, it makes more sense to me now, changing the language and the ending. Blessed be! (Bob is the name of my ex-husband)

The King’s Falcon

Rumi

The king had a noble falcon who wandered away one day,

and into the tent of an

old woman, who was making dumpling stew for her children,

“Who’s been taking care

of you?” she asked, quickly tying the falcon’s foot. She

clipped his wings and cut

his fierce talons and fed him straw. “Someone who doesn’t

know how to treat falcons,”

she answered herself, “but your mother knows!” Friend,

this kind of talk is a prison.

Don’t listen. The king spent all day looking for his

falcon, and came at sunset to

the tent and saw his fine raptor standing on a shelf in

the smoky steam of the old

woman’s cooking. “You left me for this?” The falcon

rubbed his wings against

the king’s hand, feeling wordlessly what was almost lost.

The falcon is like one who,

through grace, gets to sit close to the king, and so thinks

he’s on the same level as

the king. Then he turns his head for a moment and he’s in

the old woman’s tent. Don’t

feel special in the king’s presence. Be mannerly and

thankful and very humble. A

falcon is an image of that part of you that belongs to the

king. Once there was a blind

falcon who fell in with owls in a wilderness. They thought

he wanted to take over the ruin

they were living in. They tore his feathers. “Wait, I

have no interest in this

place. My home is the forearm of the king. “The owls

thought this was some kind

of bragging trick to distract them. “No! I don’t claim

to be like the king. I am

a ragged, blind falcon. All I can do is listen for

the king’s drum and

fly to the sound when I hear it. I am not of

the king’s species or genus,

but I have taken in some of the king’s light, the way

air is swept up into a fire,

the way water becomes plant. My ego has died into

the king’s being. I roll in

the dust at the feet of his horse. Don’t let this

blind-falcon form fool you.

I am really a delicious dessert that you should taste

now, you owls, before

I hear the drum again, because then I’ll be gone.

The Soul of Rumi by Coleman Barks  pg 66

The Goddess’ Eagle

My Story

(originally written 4-6-03; revised 05-31-14)

The Goddess had a noble Eagle who Wandered Away one Day, and into the Apartment of Bob. “Who’s been Taking Care of You?” he asked, quickly tying the Eagle’s Foot. He clipped Her Wings and cut Her Fierce Talons. “Someone who doesn’t Know how to Treat Eagles,” he answered himself, “but I Know! I will help you Reach your Potential and Find YourSelf!”

Friend, this kind of Talk is a Prison. Don’t Listen! Goddess spent All Day (years) looking for Her Eagle, and came at Sunset (my sunset) to that House and Saw Her Fine Eagle Standing on a Shelf in the Smoky Steam of Bob’s Cooking. “You left me for This?” The Eagle Rubbed Her Wings against the hand of the Goddess, Feeling Wordlessly What was Almost Lost!

The Eagle is like one who, through Grace, gets to sit close to the Goddess, and Knows She is on the Same Level of the Goddess. Then She turns her Head for a Moment and She’s back in Bob’s apartment.

Don’t feel Special in the Presence of the Goddess. Be mannerly and Thankful and Humble. An Eagle is an Image of that Part of You that Belongs to the Goddess; to Your Own Inner Female!

Then there was a Blind Eagle who Fell in with Owls in a Wilderness. They thought She wanted to Take over the ruin they were Living in. They Tore Her Feathers. “Wait I have No Interest in This Place. My Home is the Forearm of the Goddess."

The Owls thought this was some kind of Bragging Trick to Distract them. 

“No, I don’t claim to be the Goddess for I am a ragged, blind Eagle. All I can Do is Listen for the Goddess’ Drum and Fly to the Sound when I Hear it. I am of the Goddess’ species and I have Taken in Her Light the Way Air is Swept up into a Fire, the Way Water Becomes Plant. My Ego has Died into the being of Goddess. I roll in the Dust at the Feet of Her Horse and She Lifts me to Ride with Her. There I find My Voice! Don’t let this Blind Eagle Form Fool You!”

I am really a Delicious Dessert that you should Taste Now, you Owls, before I Hear the Drum again, because then I’ll be Gone. 

Pg 350 from Rumi:

The inner nature of the white falcon is strong and

Determined. Her anger builds,

And suddenly she pours the ladle of hot soup over his head.

Tears come from those beautiful

Falcon eyes. He remembers his former life, the king’s love

Whistle, the great circling

over the ocean, the distances that can condense so quickly

to a point. Falcon tears

are food for a true human being, perfume for Gabriel. Your

soul is the king’s falcon

who says, This old woman’s rage does not touch my glory

or my discipline. I must be

quiet now.

 

Deb’s Response:

The Inner Nature of the Eagle is Strong and Determined. Bob’s Anger Builds, and Suddenly he pours the Ladle of Hot Soup over Her Head.

Tears come From those Beautiful Eagle Eyes. She Remembers Her Former Life, the Love Whistle of the Goddess, the Circling over the Ocean, the Distances that Can Condense so Quickly to a Point.

Eagle Tears are Food for True Human Being, Perfume for the Goddess; Perfume for the Inner Female Voice.

Your Soul is the Goddess’ Eagle, who says, “Bob’s rage does not Touch My Glory or my Discipline.”

Fly I did and Fly I always Will!

This Woman’s Rage……

Will Never Ever be Quiet………..