# \[ YC 122 NEWCWC Poetry\] Poems of the Sky Temple of the Northern Seas **URL:** \ **Category:** Player Fiction\ **Created:** [May 14, 2020, 1:36pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/yc-122-newcwc-poetry-poems-of-the-sky-temple-of-the-northern-seas/241067 "2020-05-14T13:36:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elassus\_Herron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/user_avatar/forums.eveonline.com/elassus_herron/32/360332_2.png) [@Elassus\_Herron](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/Elassus_Herron)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 1:36pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/yc-122-newcwc-poetry-poems-of-the-sky-temple-of-the-northern-seas/241067/1 "2020-05-14T13:36:22Z")
((This is my entry into the poetry category for the Capsuleer Writing Contest. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of the pre-contact Achur culture, which I’ve written about in previous contests [and which is the subject of a long-form novel I’ve been working on for three years now, being published in chapters over on Backstage]. These poems may be considered singly or as a whole. Hope you enjoy them!)) > ## Voshyu-Vilitin, Tesvakyota Akamaat-Shokkun _Poems of the Sky Temple of the Northern Seas, from the Long Winter Period_ (Note: the following poems and literary fragments were recovered from the ruins of the Sky Temple of the Northern Seas, unearthed in archaeological expeditions undertaken during the post-contact assimilation of the Achura homeworld into the Caldari State. Recent scholarly research suggests that this Temple persisted as an isolated settlement for several centuries during the Long Winter Period, maintaining a monastery and subsisting in the harsh northern climate long after most other outposts had been abandoned. By the later Long Spring Period the Temple was no longer inhabited, but many of its manuscripts were preserved by the cold temperatures and salinization from sea air. They are notable for the relatively unchanged literary forms employed, as the isolated Temple monks and nuns copied and re-copied the same limited set of texts over several centuries, rigidly repeating the styles of the broader Achur culture to which they no longer had access. The versions here mostly conform to the Sky Temple’s characteristic “tandem style” of speaking and writing, in which two authors share a single voice, and which this presentation attempts to preserve. The title of the collection is from the Caldari-language translation published in the Proceedings of the Archaeological Institute of the School of Applied Knowledge in YC27) 1. Black Leopard Spring sun _shining_ , faint rose _low_ _in the sky_ , shining, _shining_ on the ice _and glinting,_ glinting on the sea. The great waves surge _back and forth_ thunder _of all the world_ crashing on the rocks, _crashing_ the mountains, _unmoved_ , cold and still. In the swells _of the sea_ , beneath the waves _black leopards stalk_ , back and forth searching, _seeking_ silent and powerful, _and I am afraid_ . _In our hut_ , warm with fire we celebrated First Spring Moon _with a feast_ , and dancing, spinning _back and forth_ _you were laughing_ , warm with fire and wine. I didn’t see the black leopard _silent and powerful_ , its spirit slipped from the waves stalking, back and forth, _beyond the village_ _searching_ . Now I watch the spring sun _rising_ and the waves surging _back and forth_ the black leopard _is returned to its body_ , warm with feast _and I don’t want to_ _turn back_ _to my hut_ , cold and still _unmoving_ . 1. Temple Song Raise _your voices_ to the Sea Wind _through the roof_ , to the open sky. Raise your eyes _to the vault of the heavens_ the home of the winds _mother of the seas_ temple _of all temples_ , in the open sky. Lift _your feet_ from the ground _trace spirals in the water_ , dancing the dance _of the heavens_ turning _like clouds_ in the open sky. Let _the wind_ and _the waters_ _flow through you_ , carry you like ice _on a river_ _spinning_ and roiling _back and forth_ , through open sky. Give your soul _to the Gods_ _carried_ on the winds _across the ocean_ , across the heavens to the temple beyond _the open sky_ . 1. Shadow Play _Watching shadows_ dance on stone walls telling the story _of the Gods of Storms_ the mighty Hunter _strikes a bold figure_ rippling _in the winds_ of the great weather _unafraid_ and valiant. The drummers play _a martial rhythm_ the Hunter chases _the Thief_ his limbs so fast! _Outpacing his shadow_ across the stones. _Oh_ ! my legs are too heavy, I run, _the ice cracks_ thunder _drumming_ the mountains but I cannot catch my prey. _Oh_ ! my legs are too slow I sing _a martial song_ _and the storm_ carries me across the plain. The storm _flashes_ , shadows _on shadows_ _rippling_ across the sky, I think _of her_ who carries _my heart_ back home _in the village_ . Oh! if I would bring her _something_ _fat and heavy_ , a feast _to celebrate_ dancing, our shadows _rippling_ together _on stone walls_ warm _and unafraid_ . 1. Lullaby Sleep! _Sleep_ , my darling _the sun is set_ , below the mist the sea is calm, _rocking you_ , piece _of my heart_ . If your soul _should fly_ away with the winds let the Gods of Sky _hear my song_ and bring you back _to me_ and let no dream _disturb you_ . _Sleep_ ! Sleep, my little one the hearth _is warm_ , I am here _by your side_ _to sing you_ this song so the Gods of Sky _bring you back_ to me. Sleep! _Sleep_ , my quiet one _the morning_ will soon be here the sun will fill your cheeks _with rose once more_ the wind will fill your mouth _with laughter once more_ The Gods of Sky will bring your soul back _to me_ . _Sleep_ ! Sleep, my beloved rocking _in my arms_ a little longer. _The morning is here_ The Gods of Sky shake off _the veil of night_ the mists are close and the morning _is chilled_ but here in my arms _you’re still warm_ with me. 1. Prayer for Morning O Gods _of Wind_ ! Make me _your servant_ and guide _my hand_ . _Fill me_ with your might _and show me_ the hidden path through _the mountains_ . _O Gods_ of Wind! _Fill me_ with your grace and look favorably _upon me_ . May our feet _be swift and sure_ may the storm spare us _its wrath_ _our hands strong_ and clever our eyes _sharp and wise_ . O Gods _of Wind_ ! _Take pity_ on me! The night _was long_ and cold and the sun _has not_ yet warmed this world, _o bitter fate_ ! My bones _ache_ but by your mercy _I stride out_ into the mist in your sheltering hand _I am not afraid_ . O Gods of the Heavens! Hear my prayer which I send to the sky with the cold morning sun that you might hear it and take pity on me your servant and return to me once more to fill me with your grace and show me the path of rightness once more. 1. Prayer for Evening O Gods _of Stars_ , Gods _of the Sea Wind_ , still _your anger_ the sun _is set_ . Let the hearth stay warm _'til morning_ Let the snows fall gently _in the night_ Let the lantern-oil burn clean _and cheerful_ keeping the night at bay _'til morning_ . We are small and fearful _before you_ We plead for mercy _before you_ For nothing in this world endures _before you_ Accept this prayer and offering _before you_ And keep warm the hearth of those who bow down _before you_ . Let me lay myself _down_ _on the cold ground_ before you _for the sun is set_ and the lanterns have gone out _on this world_ I pray for you to take my soul and pity me _your servant_ When I give my breath to you _'til morning._ ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/eveonline/original/3X/4/1/41ec4921cbaca7a6f9ea556e7cc20018461eae5e.png) [@system](https://forums.eveonline.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2020, 1:36pm UTC](https://forums.eveonline.com/t/yc-122-newcwc-poetry-poems-of-the-sky-temple-of-the-northern-seas/241067/2 "2020-08-12T13:36:27Z")
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