A Winter's Night (poetry)

[Underground River]

A winter night
Cold
Nobody goes outside
I think about
How the night must be
Freezing
Dark
Silent
Windy
Everybody locked in their houses
In the warm kitchen
Or in front of the TV
Or fast asleep
In a warm bed
Quilt pulled up to the pillow
Cat at the foot maybe
Alone or in couples
Dead to the world
Unaware of the cold winter's night outside
I think of how I rejoyced with the sunset
On this
The longest night of the year.
I am not afraid that the dawn won't come
I know where the summer has gone
I know where the sun is
I know where the warmth is
It went south as the birds
To warm the other side of this
Dear old planet
I know that somewhere down under there are flowers
And children running about wearing shorts
I know there is rain and not snow
I know there is heat and the people
Are sleeping on this night with windows open
I also know that half the world
Is bathed in the bright light of a dawn already realized
I know there is no eternal darkness
Nor is there eternal light
I do not mind that my little quarter sphere
Of this lovely planet
Is bathed in cold and in shadow
Because I know the dawn and the summer will return
For yet another cycle
For endless cycles
As long as the Earth shall move
Around the sun, around its own axis
I am not afraid
I welcome the winter as I welcome the summer
As I welcome autumn or spring
And there's nothing wrong with darkness
Nothing wrong with cold and snow
Nature sleeps
As I crawl into my soft bed.
Copyright by GreenDruid October 27, 2004.
GreenDruid

[Kat Lady]

Makes me want to curl up with a good book under a warm blanket, drink hot chocolate and let the cat purr on my lap! Well done.

[Underground River]

Thanks CatLady. Can I have some of that hot chocolate?
GD