Total Pageviews

Saturday 21 December 2013

Northern Winter Solstice - Sheila Martindale




Northern Winter Solstice

Sol sistere
sun standing still
motionless
hovering
momentarily
on its polar axis
poised midway
between darkness
and light

as if one degree’s shift
would plunge the planet
into endless winter
as if one divine breath
would blow the world
off its perilous progression
change its direction
turn it
to face
eternal night

We crave stillness
on this the shortest day
praying
even if we never pray
for that pendulum to begin
its infinitesimal reversal
its slow forward swing
its painstaking passage
towards
another spring

                                    Sheila Martindale

winter solstice photo:  Winter_Solstice.jpg

No comments: