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A Poem for December
Chris Heeter is one of my favorite poets. Her writings have deepened my appreciation for nature, animals, and the human spirit.
As we move through these last days of December, I share one of her poems, with her permission.
A Solstice blessing…
Less than a week
the light will slowly lengthen.
The temptation, to count the days.
To hold our breath
until daylight stretches
into evening and early morning
forcing back the darkness.
What a relief it will be
these light-starved bodies
to see again
no longer fumbling in darkness.
Still,
somewhere deep inside
past resistance and reason
you know this darkness, too, is your home.
A place you were taught to hurry through
lest you be swallowed by the whale of darkness
never to be seen again.
Your soul knows better.
Your soul knows night is the place of dreams.
Far beyond what seeing eyes call horizon
night eyes know no such boundary.
So on these long nights of winter solstice
may you find your wildest dreams
walking companionably alongside you.
Having waited for you all this time
to turn toward darkness
and find not fear, but peace and courage
and wild abandon toward a life you hadn’t dared live.
