Posting An Older Poem

I've decided to copy to this blog some of the poems I've put up on FaceBook, in anticipation of possibly leaving the network behind at some point.  This first one comes at the wrong season, but as Winter seems to have laid claim to coming Spring days with snow and more snow in March, perhaps it's not SO out of place.


This came after reading Debbie's comment on the Long Night's Moon, a term for the full moon before Winter Solstice.

Long Night’s Moon

What magic casts December’s first full moon?
Tide of moving stone,
shadows on the silver frost,
distant howl of Winter predators,
a flashing glimpse: hindquarter of the wounded year. 
Sister, draw your breath.
Husband, quickly close the door. Come fire-close.
Soon, soon December turns her haggard face,
shows the blue twin of her glistening eye,
too weak to hold her long night
against the strengthening sun.

Susan Schwan
(draft 12/2/09, ed. 3/6/12)
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