After the light
beams into the inner chamber
on the shortest day,
after the souls of the dead have departed,
silence fills the hollow space
like the beat of the drum just did.
The underland will feed it
like a candle perpetually snuffed,
scent of melted wax and burnt wick
in the dark.
Above, nights pass
and days come
in the temple of time
that makes equals of us all.
The earth blooms into spring,
flowers and fruits through summer,
and releases once more into fall.
On that first winter day,
when the priestess returns
before dawn,
lint and tinder in her pouch,
but guided by memory and touch,
this is what she hears:
the silence of stone.
No words, no message,
just the time-nourished silence.
Rebirth is the gift of the deep,
to return as servant once more –
lover and light-bearer,
priestess and poet reborn.
The Kingdom of Enough 
What a lovely scent, “melted wax and burnt wick in the dark”. Thank you for this poignant observation of this year’s shortest day… of the longest year.
I’m grateful that your sister Ann sent me this link and grateful I got to meet your dog Betsy in the park in Northeast Portland a few months ago.
Kind wishes to you and your whole family,
Claire
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Thank you for your kind words, Claire. That was a
lovely afternoon in the park, and I just remembered that I promised to email my book list, which I will do!
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Thank you Mary. Very potent and personal to me…. blessings upon the light… and upon you, poet sister.
Carolyn
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Thank you!
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