A reading for the arrival of the winter solstice.

The Magic of Winter – essesq December 19, 2009

The air is cold,
It is time to gather.
Here, by the fire in the moonlight
Faint twinkle of stars
Among the evergreens.
Red cardinals and holly berries
Bejewel the greenery.
A whisper of air floats overhead
As the crunch of snow underfoot
Breaks the silence.

The trickle of streams has stopped,
Making way for the tinkling of icicles,
That hang over rocks and roofs
Sparkling in winter’s sun.
Crystals and diamonds littered over the landscape,
Enchant the eyes,
Rendering the ordinary extraordinary.

And a breath drawn today
In this season of dormancy and death
Makes one glad to be alive.