The Shortest Day
By Susan Cooper
By Susan Cooper
And so the Shortest Day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us – listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us – listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!
People, look east. The time is near
Of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
Trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.
Of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
Trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.
Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,
One more seed is planted there:
Give up your strength the seed to nourish,
That in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the rose, is on the way.
One more seed is planted there:
Give up your strength the seed to nourish,
That in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the rose, is on the way.
Birds, though you long have ceased to build,
Guard the nest that must be filled.
Even the hour when wings are frozen
God for fledging time has chosen.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the bird, is on the way.
Guard the nest that must be filled.
Even the hour when wings are frozen
God for fledging time has chosen.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the bird, is on the way.
Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim,
Shining beyond the frosty weather,
Bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the star, is on the way.
One more light the bowl shall brim,
Shining beyond the frosty weather,
Bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the star, is on the way.
Angels, announce with shouts of mirth
Christ who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Lord, is on the way.
Christ who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Lord, is on the way.
Tim Burton? Charlie Brown? Love it!
Seems to reproduce by offsets like an agave!
Happy Winter Solstice from the Evergreen State!
And should today be the last, It's been great getting to know you all out there in the blogosphere. Ta.
Gorgeous collection of trees. Picking a favorite isn't easy, but the Grinch tree with offsets wins.
ReplyDeleteSo far so good. The Mayans are celebrating today because all this attention has brought mucho tourist dinero to their part of the world.
Glad to hear that Texas is still there and that the Mayans are cashing in. So is there a big sale on all of the old calendars?
DeleteHappy Solstice! The sun begins its return journey, Hooray!
ReplyDeleteYea! I always get excited about the days getting longer but then I remember that January and February can be pretty brutal weather wise. Let's hope for continued mild temps!
DeleteHello there and you are quite the deep thinking comedian with these touches .. love the almost Tim Burton/Charlie brown tree !! and yes, tourism must be knocking down the stone doors of the Mayans ;-)
ReplyDeletethanks for making me *grin* BIG time today !
Joy
I try not to think too much as it hurts my head but I do like pretty words. Always glad to hear from you & thanks so much for sharing the Joy!
DeleteHappy Solstice! And yes we're still all here :)
ReplyDeleteMaybe the weather forecast was wrong AGAIN. Oh well, I'd better go out and get a new calendar. Glad to hear that you're still there on that beautiful ancient island!
DeleteHappy Solstice, Outlaw. May you have many more opportunities to flout the law in the coming year!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks! And may your garden be blessed with vast amounts of compost, well rotted manure, and leaf mold!
DeleteI love this pictures of trees! Thujas decorated as Christmas tree, nice!
ReplyDeleteThanks Nadezda. They are fun!
DeleteSo many beautiful Christmas trees! We're still doing well here in Finland...
ReplyDeleteThe day is nearly over for you. This is good news. Have a good night and give Mickey an extra snuggle for me.
DeleteHooray for lengthening days! Enjoy the holidays!
ReplyDeleteMore light always sounds good! Happy holidays to you too Jason!
DeleteWe celebrate winter solstice by eating round glutinous rice balls of various flavours and with all sorts of fillings.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a delicious tradition!
DeleteGreat post Peter, talk about creativity in the garden! Whoa...
ReplyDeleteThanks Tom. I wish I could take credit for any of it but all of the pictures came from Watson's and Vassey Nurseries.
Delete