Solstice Stag (2015)
The God wears many faces as the Lightbringer; here He is the White Stag, the “Bright Champion” invigorating the promise of the waxing Sun at Winter Solstice dawn. The Stag Who Bears Flames in His Tines brings fire from heaven, to warm and light the earth in winter.
Because of the vegetative speed with which antlers grow, the Stag can be seen as the incarnation of the Red (Animal) aspect of the God which is most like His Green (Plant) self; thus the lights He bears in His tines beget the lights that adorn the World Tree, and so our Yule trees.
Leaping across the winter sky, He rides the Aurora, casting multi-colored light in His wake, seeds of light and life renewed. As the Stag’s seed quickens the promise of fawns in the spring, so the God’s radiance kindles renewed vigor, hope, strength and beauty, in the dormant deep of winter.
Boy Stag of Wonder
Boy stag of wonder
(horns of a thousand
branches and knops
a thousand bright candles)
bears in his antlers
the light of the sun
on his brow a star
on his breast the moon
courses the banks of the shining
heavenly Danube
blue stag, bearer of news
what news?
Hungarian Christmas Carol
Translation © 2010 Steven W. Posch (used by permission)
[note: “knops” = small, ornamental knobs]