Winter clouds brood close
soaking the land,
stripping the last
of summer’s weight
as the earth breathes
free from the hope of flowers,
settling into root and descent
under the cold rain
while we dream of bear
and find our way
with darkness guiding.
Good one. Brings to mind Ted Roethke’s : famous line:
“In a dark time, the eye begins to see.”
I’m becoming at home with dark, blessed dark .. and experiencing the beauty and wonder of her wisdom.
Makes this Elder appreciate Winter Naptime in a new light… or should I say Dark?
we dream of bear
(the wild, down and internal)
darkness to guide.
Beautiful.
a thought – my thought – that the earth breathes free from “our” hope rather than “the” hope.because I don’t think the earth hopes anything, I identify with an earth free from human hope.
Thank you, so lovely.
I also love hibernation poems!
Love this one. I agree with Sandy. Descent and darkness as nurturing and rejuvenating really ring for me.
….don’t know….intellectually I appreciate the value of descent and darkness, because it needs to go on whether I like it or not. Maybe its because I have spent so much of my life there, which sometimes renders the experience lonely. But, thank you, Don, for bringing this theme to focus.
A true poem for winter!