3rd Day of Yule

Cirque’s Tree

Long ago in a far off spring

A seed unfurled in a sheltered cirque

Where the alpine flowers ring.

As the years turned

Its brethren on the upper slopes

Twisted and morphed in the mountain winds

While the sun burned,

Yet around the cirque’s sides

The winds would whistle

And the rocks above scour

Leaving the cirque’s alpine fir to bide.

Tall it grew and strong and green

Sweet it perfumed the summer breeze

In the center of a cirque that few have seen.

When the nights are long

And the times have paused

By cloud and stars

The wind will whisper a song

Rising up over stone and tree

Drifting down from stars and moon

Entwining where the fir doth grow

A garland of music that none can see,

Twinkling star light

Glinting snow, sparkles

On the dark fir bough in the night,

Icicles from the boughs are strung

Snow dust frosts their green

From vines berries red are hung,

In fiery glory a phoenix flies nigh

With a flickering feather

To adorn the tree on high,

Quiet and majestic the ice dragon flows

Down from the wind

With a gleaming scale on the tree to go,

With a quiet purr Winter’s cats

Stalk down as if the air was velvet

To hang crystalline paw prints with a gentle pat,

With dancing hooves the pegasi

Approach in a concert of silver bells

Wreaths of braids with feathers sigh,

The unicorn with dignity

Touches horn to the garlands of song

Light from star and moon embrace the tree,

From the forest the wolves pace

Snow and shadow twisted spun

A globe to fill a space,

A salamander slithers near

With heat held back from delicate snow

Crystal caught flame to dance, not fear,

The griffons tawny and touched by snow

Beat over the slope above

With amber beads and feathers to show,

Winter fairies sparkle and flit

A glittering cloud cast upon the tree

And silver bells with pixie dust lit,

Beings line the cirque from snow to stone

Sharing their gifts

Here not one is alone,

Wishes warm the air

Brightening the tree with laughter

Born of joy and warmth a golden light

From the lowest tier to the bow with a flair,

Where the fir’s leader meets the night

Radiating love and bathing hearts

Symbolic of their gathering

A golden star is spun of light.

2nd Day of Yule

The Gift of Heat to Winter

In the cold dark winter night

That stretches ever on

Across the fields of snow

And through the haunted forest

When the sky is speckled

By the stars pitiless and sharp

And all the land is cold and dark

When the stones come tumbling

Down the barren mountain

Two come heart to heart

And strike, a spark!

Warm, fiery, glow

Radiate into the winter night

Let your kin join you as you fly

Return heat and hope to the world

One by one the sparks’ light shall show

Speckling the night with heat

In reds and oranges flicker warm

Change the tone of shadows

No longer cast by stars alone

But by flickering fire

Roust from sleep the lightning storm!

As the clouds come rolling in

As the thunder cracks

As light flashes

For the warmth and the fire

We celebrate the din

For the storm heats the land

And the sparks fill the air with magic

Flickering with life and joy

Together changing a winter night

As they thrive hand in hand

For the gift of branches dry

Within a circle of the stone

That gave sparks and shields life

As fire grows and blazes high

A curtain of color rippling

The color of heat and thriving life

As the beings of winter lift their heads

And join around the fire in dance

Bringing wood from which the fire may spring

As it returns the heat of life to air and light

To the long, dark, cold, winter night.

1st Day of Yule

Gift of Light to Shadow

Shard of light, of ice still and cold

Spiral of brightness, gleam in the night,

Quick is the flash of photons reflected

From the mirror bright scale, she beholds

A gift from the Dragon of Winter proud

As he soars over peak and vale

Whilst the darkness lengthens still,

Shining the icicle falls from the bough

Gleaming it slices the air in descent

Sharp and fast with the deadly grace of winter

Towards the merciless stone of the cavern sill

And not the snow that blankets the forest,

Quick as the light ere it was caught

Batting the icicle from its path

And cradling the radiant crystal

The velvet paw from shadow wrought

Clasps the gift to her heart

Slipping down through tunnels queer

Of stone and shadow twisted

Down where Winter’s Breathe may start

In a cavern of crystals spun in shades of blue

Of palest violet and eerie green

In spirals and columns

In a mystical structure of Winter’s hues

Hidden away in the cold and dark

Where shadows cover all

Blending with naught to cast them

Uniform and hidden awaiting a spark

Brought forth by the crystal of ice

A gift from the Dragon of Winter

Who left his lair long ago to darkness

A shard of light that can more than suffice

To return that which can enliven the deep

The caster of shadows

And life bringer to colors

Down in the cold from which Winter seeps

Brought by the shadow through tunnels long

To where she and hers can now bathe in light

Renewal down in the depths

Far from Starlight’s Song.

Evergreen Farewell for Winter Break

Daylight has faded

And the night is drawn up snug

Dark across the land

With the stars and moon above

Waning gibbous moon

Shine ye through the trees

Light my path and guide me home

By the chill winter breeze.

Frost on the grass

Was the mark of the morn

A shaft of golden sunlight

Lit the forest ferns

Softly tumbling mists

That blazed in golden glory

In the still golden ray

Woven through the wood

Straighter than an arrow's flight

Quieter than a still winter's night

Brings life to the mist

In gold touched winter wood

Where the green holds sway

Even now.

Maple Leaves

Maple leaves...
Golden foliage dapple fall
Bright change against the evergreens
Proudly branched your trunk and boughs
Prepare to stand through winter gales
Brave flags ye foliage proudly wave
Celebrate their steadfast dignity
Staunch against the winter fierce
Approaching on the horizon of time.

Rice Fish

As if rice with silver gilt was spilled

In flashing profusion into the estuary

Little fish are darting about

Densely packed wherever the eye can see

Below the shimmering sky on the waves.

A particular fish, with size pronounced

Swims rapidly near the surface

Speeding along as straight as fish could swim

Behind it lithe and undulating

Pale dappled belly towards the sky

A seal hunts

And snaps

Turning down in churning waters

Out of sight

As the fish is now

Forever more.

The seals frolic

In the rice pot thick of fish.

Golden Arcs

Golden arcs ripple forth
Radiating from roots and rocks
Where the quiet lap of the sea rebounds
Barely perceptible the surface waves
Who cast the golden ribbons down
To mingle in interlapping arcs
Over shattered shells and polished stone
Sand and pebbles, muted hues
Softened backdrop for light's play.