THE "ANEMONE" IS SAID TO BE DERIVED FROM THE YOUNG MORTAL, "ADONIS", WHO WAS FAMED FOR HIS BEAUTY, AND WHO WAS A REIGNING FAVORITE OF "APHRODITE", THE GODDESS OF LOVE. HE WAS KILLED WHILE HUNTING, AND CHANGED BY "APHRODITE" INTO THE "ANEMONE". ACCORDING TO THIS MYTH, THERE WAS ONCE A GOLDEN-HAIRED BOY, ADONIS, WHO APHRODITE LOVED MORE THAN ANYTHING. AND, WHEN ADONIS LIVED WITH APHRODITE,THE TWO LOVERS WOULD GO HUNTING IN THE WOODS. AS ADONIS CHASED GAME THROUGH THE FOREST, THE GODDESS WOULD ALMOST ALWAYS BE FOLLOWING CLOSELY BEHIND, IN HER SWAN DRIVEN CHARIOT, DRESSED AS A HUNTRESS.
BUT THE LOVES OF THESE GODS AND GODDESSES SEEMED ALWAYS TO BE FATED SO WE CAN BE ASSURED THAT SOMETHING VERY SAD WAS TO HAPPEN. AND SO THE BEAUTIFUL ADONIS ONE DAY, WHILE HUNTING, CAME TO A MOST TERRIBLE DEATH. IT SEEMS THAT APHRODITE'S EX-LOVER, ARES, THE GOD OF WAR, HAD GROWN JEALOUS OF HER AFFAIR WITH THE MORTAL, SO, ONE DAY WHILE ADONIS WAS HUNTING ALONE, ARES DISGUISED HIMSELF AS A BOAR AND ATTACKED ADONIS, CAUSING HIM LETHAL INJURIES. APHRODITE HURRIED TO ADONIS IN HER CHARIOT, BUT HIS SOUL HAD ALREADY DESCENDED INTO THE UNDERWORLD.
IN DESPAIR, APHRODITE THREW HERSELF UPON A BANK IN THE GROVE WHERE THE ADONIS HAD BEEN SO CRUELLY SLAIN, SHE WEPT BITTER, BITTER, TEARS. BUT EVEN HER TEARS WERE IMMORTAL, AND WHEREVER THEY FELL, THERE SPRANG UP A DELICATE LITTLE CRIMSON FLOWERTHE ANEMONE. AND IT IS SAID THAT IN THE FLOWER, ADONIS LIVES AGAIN AS THE SPIRIT OF THE WIND.
Soft stealing from beneath the snow,
I saw a pretty wind flower blow;
Fair were its petals, streaked with red,
Like sunset on a snowflake shed. "How dar'st thou, gentle flower, to brave This early spring,- far better save
Thy fairy bloom, to grace the day
When wind and storm have passed away! My humble gifts would be no boon Among the myriad flowers of June;
Now when the earth is brown and bare,
One little spot I make more fair. "I LOVE AMONG THESE LINGERING SNOWS
TO STAND, THE HERALD OF THE ROSE;
FOR SADDEST EYES GROW BRIGHT TO SEE
THE PROPHET-FLOWER, ANEMONE."
by M. ALICE BRYANT
Keywords: bran blessed turkish fire every occasion solar deity brigid bride slovenian korant invokation lord saxon rune poem gnosis hymn glory berashith essay mock mock rousseau essay chaos
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