The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper
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, reveling.
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 so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!
A quiet welcome here at home.
The wheel turns, and around we go again. Welcome to the Oak King! Goodbye, Holly King!


I have only been to one wine-tasting party in my life -- in a faraway and a long ago time.
ReplyDeleteLovely poem and photos. Happy Solstice! Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDelete...after winter, spring always looks great.
ReplyDeleteGreat poem. Happy Solstice 🎄
ReplyDelete"...and hope for peace. And so do we here, now, this year and every year." Very nice. I hope you have a wonderful, peaceful Christmas.
ReplyDeleteYour home is so cozy. I can't belive you reached the 50s though
ReplyDeleteThis weather is so chageable!
Yeah, the days are starting to get longer! While spring is still a long ways off, we have something to look forward to!
ReplyDeleteI understand why this is your favorite Winter Solstice poem. :)
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI love that poem. I've never read it before - 'And hope for peace' - don't we all?
ReplyDeleteA nice quiet evening by the fire, excellent way to start the new turning.
ReplyDeleteGlad you took note of the shortest day!
ReplyDeleteI am learning so much about the Celtics, just from reading your blog posts and then Googling. Since my ancestry is mostly Norwegian but also Scot and English, I feel a bond with the Celts. Nice picture of your man and the dogs, by the way.
ReplyDeleteHappy Solstice!
ReplyDelete