Under the webbing of the Moon by Martin Burke Begin, begin, beginnings. Start from a starting point. Begin at the origin of all things. Begin with Flanders. Flanders- first name on the tongue first claim in the nest of memory first stone-fields first worship of the sun. I could bow to it all I could come with adorations and offer the heart at such altars as are erected in such landscapes; I could weave from the threads of history a shroud that would un-weave the winding sheet of time and its accusation. Therefore to comb these origins, these first places of the mind for origins that here and now call me to this affirmation- as if I was weaned here as if I grew from these stone fields to the worship of the sun. Flanders. Starting point and fulcrum beloved place and node of light where I bow down to shadow and form and all the strict necessities of this the given world. * As if in the lesser and greater scintillations of light and its true testimony all things were born as if that light was operative in the original place of the world I come again to a well-loved place and speak the words of ritual - words that cannot be named, words that have no other words to name them. Listen: the wind speaks through the linden trees, the old voices of memory and origin speak again, the words that I have said speak the ancient invocations by which the mind binds itself to the world and binds the heart to love. Love, the origin and challenge in this our bitter century, century in which we sing and weep the old and tallow river of ourselves. * And Daniel Maslyn saying: “What is the method by which we might live? What is it that moves us beyond chance into certainty and celebration?” What indeed as I call on the goddess to bless the mind approaching her in this pale light of morning in which is cast and recast again the many, many castings of the mind. Martin Burke Belgium Martin Burke is a poet and Playwright living in Belgium. Martin has numerous publications and his e-book, Gilgamesh, was just published by Cervena Barva Press. His book, The Easter Ballad , is forthcoming from Words On The Street.