Approaching Solstice

Image from Pixabay

During the past few weeks, as the skies have grown darker, the days shorter, and the wind more chilling, our town has come alive with lights: Lights on rooftops, lights in windows, lights around wreaths and swirling through tree branches. And best of all: light in the eyes of marveling children. What a beautiful tradition it is to celebrate our winter holidays with extravagant spectacles of those things we need most this time of year: brightness, color, wonder, joy, and hope.

Approaching Solstice

by Patricia Monaghan (1946 – 2012)

Yes, friends, the darkness wins but these
short days so celebrate light:

Today, the lemon sunrise lasted a few
hours until sunset, all day the snow
glowed pink and purple in the trees.
This is not a time of black and white.

My friend, outside us, among us too,
let's sing what winter forces us to know:
Joy and colour bloom despite the night.
We measure warmth by love, not by degrees.