Bohemian Grove

Comment by Jonathan Barlow Gee on May 23, 2012 at 9:43am

Comment by Jonathan Barlow Gee on July 15, 2012 at 12:21am

transcript of the "Cremation of Care" Ceremony at Bohemian Grove 

BEGIN 

Robed men enter an area in front of a 40 foot high statue of an owl the Bohemians call Mo-Loch as bagpipes play. The robed men assemble in front of Mo-Loch. 2 different "priests" will speak during the ritual and the voice of Dull Care will also be heard. 

Priest 1: The owl is in his leafy temple. Let all within the grove be reverent before him. Lift up your heads, oh ye trees, and be ye lifted up ye everlasting spires. For behold! Here is Bohemia's shrine and holy are the pillars of this house. Weaving spiders, come not here. 

Priest 2: Hail Bohemians with the ripple of waters, the song of birds, such music as inspires the sinking soul do we invite you into mid-summer's joy. The sky above is blue and sown with stars. The forest floor is heaped with fragrant grit. The evenings cool kiss is yours. The campfires slow. The birth of rosy fingered dawn. Shake off your sorrows with the city's dust and cast to the winds the cares of life. But memories bring back the well-loved names of gallant friends who knew and loved this grove. Dear, boon companions of the long ago. Aye! Let them join us in this ritual and not a place be empty in our midst. All of his battles to hold in this gray autumn of the world or in the springtime of your heart. Attend our tale. Gather ye forest folk and cast your spell over these mortals. Touch their world-blind eyes with carrion. Open their eyes to fancy. Follow the memories of yesterday and seal the gates of sorrow. It is a dream, and, yet, not all a dream. Dull care and all of his works harbored it. As vanished Babylon and goodly Tyre. So shall they also vanish. But the wilding rose blows in the broken battlement of Tyre and moss rends the stones of Babylon. For beauty is eternal and we bow to beauty everlasting. For lasting happiness, we turn to one alone. As she surrounds you now, great nature, refuge of the weary heart. And only found her breasts that had been bruised. She has cool hands for every fevered brow and dreadless silence for the troubled soul. Her councils are most wise. She healeth well having such ministries as calm and sleep. She is ever faithful. Other friends may fail, but seek ye her in any quiet place smiling, she will rise and give to you her kiss. So must ye come as children. Little children that believe don't ever doubt her beauty and her faith, nor deem her tenderness can change or die. 

Comment by Jonathan Barlow Gee on July 15, 2012 at 12:21am

Priest 1: Bohemians and priests. The desperate call of heavy hearts is answered. By the power of your fellowship, dull care is slain. His body has been brought yonder to our funeral pyre to the joyous pipings of a funeral march. Our funeral pyre awaits the corpse of care. 

An effigy of Dull Care is brought to the statue by way of boat across the lake. 

Priest 2: Oh thou, thus ferried across the shadowy tide in all the ancient majesty of death. Dull care, ardent enemy of beauty. Not for thee the [garbled] forgiveness of the restful grave. Fire shall have its way with thee and all the winds make merry with thy dust. Bring Fire! 

Dull Care: (Laughter) Fools! Fools! Fools! When will you learn that me ye cannot slay? Year after year ye burn me in this grove. Lifting your puny shouts of triumph to the stars. When again ye turn your faces to the marketplace, do ye not find me waiting as of old? Fools! Fools! Fools to dream ye conquer care! 

Priest 2: Say thous mocking spirit. It is not all a dream. We know thous waitest for us. When this our sylvan holiday has ended, we shall meet thee and fight thee as of old and some of us prevail against thee and some thou shalt destroy. But, this to we know. Year after year, within this happy grove, our fellowship bans the for a space. Thine malevolence which would pursue us here has lost its power under these friendly trees. So shall we burn thee once again this night and with the flames that eat thine effigy we shall read the sign. Mid-summer sets us free! 

Dull Care: Ye shall burn me once again?(Laughter) Not with these flames which hither ye have brought from regions where I reign. Ye fools and priests. I spit upon your fire! 

A pyrotechnic shoots from a treetop or tower over to the altar of Mo-Loch and ignites the sacrifice. 

Priest 2: Oh Owl! Prince of all mortal wisdom, Owl of Bohemia, we beseech thee, grant us thy council. 

Song Lyrics: No fire! No fire! No fire! Unless it be kindled in the world where care is nourished on the hates of men and drive him from this grove. One flame alone must light this fire. One flame alone must light this fire. A pure eternal flame. A pure eternal flame. At last within the lamp of fellowship upon the altar of Bohemia. 

Priest 2: Oh great Owl of Bohemia. We thank thee for thy adoration. Be gone detested care! Be gone! Once more, we banish thee! Be gone Dull Care! Fire shall have its will of thee. Be gone Dull Care and all the winds make merry with thy dust! Hail fellowship's eternal flame! Once again, mid-summer sets us free! 

Dull Care: (Agonizing Scream) 

END

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