The Shelters of Stone (Earth's Children 5)

Her dear friend agreed to join in the fight,

To rescue Her child from his perilous plight.

She told of her grief. And the dark swirling thief.

The Mother was tired, She had to recover,

She loosened Her hold to Her luminous lover.

While She was sleeping, he fought the cold force,

And for a time drove it back to the source.

His spirit was strong. The encounter too long.

Her fair shining friend struggled hard, gave his best,

The conflict was bitter, the struggle hard pressed.

His vigilance waned as he closed his great eye,

Then darkness crept close, stole his light from the sky.

Her pale friend was tiring. His light was expiring.

When darkness was total, She woke with a cry.

The tenebrious void hid the light from the sky.

She joined in the conflict, was quick to defend,

And drove the dark shadow away from Her friend.

But the pale face of night. Let Her son out of sight.

Trapped by the whirlwind, Her bright fiery son,

Gave no warmth to the Earth, cold chaos had won.

The fertile green life was now ice and snow,

And a sharp piercing wind continued to blow.

The Earth was bereft. No green plants were left.

The Mother was weary, grieving and worn,

But She reached out again for the life She had borne.

She couldn’t give up, She needed to strive,

For the glorious light of Her son to survive.

She continued the fight. To bring back the light.

And Her luminous friend was prepared to contest,

The thief who held captive the child of Her breast.