Mar 24, 2025
Hymn for Anthesteria: A Prayer to Dionysus
O Dionysus, Lord of the Vine,
whose laughter spills like overflowing wine,
come now in revel, in riot, in bloom,
awaken the spirits that dance in the tomb.
The jars are unsealed, the perfume is sweet,
the ghosts of the past drift through the streets.
Let us drink to the new, to the old, to the strange,
to the madness that sparks when the seasons change.
O Ivy-Crowned, O Twice-Born King,
with every cup, your name we sing!
Bless our feasting, our love, our delight,
keep our hearts wild, our torches alight.
Now open the doors, let Keres depart,
but linger, dear Bacchus, deep in our hearts.
For though Anthesteria fades with the dawn,
your spirit in us will never be gone.
