The solstice candle holds its flickering flame
feeble against the gloom of the long night.
Moon, cold and dark in the night sky,
clotting the stars in a blot of emptiness.
Moonless and humble, the candle still burns
reflecting its light in hope, incandescent,
withstanding even the deepest cold
and sparking the helpless soul,
undone at the final turn
of the one true axis.
All hearts turn
to the returning light,
second by second, death is overcome
and resurrection is upon us, rising
lighthearted in the new day and grace filled joy
of spring’s eternal desire and grave emptying flame.
Tag Archives: angel
Advent 2019 – angel of the lost and found department
its the insistence of grace
the cajoling and prodding
that makes it such a nuisance
it will not let me be
lost
only found
again and again and again
Advent 2019 – benedicimus te
benedícimus te
maybe she’s like any
body
walking the sidewalks
or dusty roads
or the narrow places,
pushing a baby carriage
filled with
dreams
or broken dolls
or aluminum cans
she picked up on busy streets
where no one saw her
as they pushed past
the rushing wings
of sparrows
and angels
as she makes her way
to the manger
*** This was written to remind myself to be aware of those around me and to always look for the extraordinary in the ordinary.
Advent 2019 – Peace
wandering angels congregate
amongst the wind tossed cedars
filling the branches with wings and song
gloria gloria
peace be with you this day
Prince of Peace, a name we reach out to,
we call to, yearning for peace in our turbulent times
our turbulent minds
gloria gloria
peace be with you this day
peace be with you this day
Advent 2019 – fearless
When an angel appears to me,
I’m pretty sure I will have questions.
I will say
What do you mean?
What are you saying?
And then I’m pretty sure
I will lose my voice
like Zechariah.
I will be left mute
until it comes to pass.
Or like Jacob,
I will wrestle my angel
until I am left with a limp
and maybe a name change
and hopefully a blessing.
But when that angel shows up
and says
Fear not,
I want to be fear-less.
I want to live my life
and fear not whatever comes.
Today, I will pray for
that
ferocity of fearlessness
and be ready to roar
Yes!
whenever that angel shows her face.
Advent 2019 – angel of womb and wonder
That gestational moment,
seems we are always in it,
the fomenting of creation
for all that may be possible-
world, nature, being,
ideas, motivations, meanings-
enough to fill our waiting arms.
And now a babe-
a small being achieves
all that which seems impossible.
Springing into newness,
Here! Look! Hold!
An incarnation of love and spirit
worthy of worship and laughter and wonder.
We hold all of creation in our arms.
*** in honor of our new great nephew, born just this morning, 12/24/2017. Welcome to the world, KJ!
Note:12/06/2019 This was originally written at the birth of our great nephew,
KJ, two years ago.
And now tonight, a new boy, a new son, grandson, brother and great nephew. Welcome to the world, Isaac! We are happy you are here!
Advent 2019 – We Were Walking
We were walking with friends
behind their Minnesota farmhouse,
fields of cornstubble stretching to the winter gray horizon.
Suddenly from under our feet-
a heart stopping flash –
all feathers and noise and wings,
a vision of gold calling in alarm.
With our pulses pounding,
we watched the pheasant disappear.
We laughed at our fear
and marveled at the beauty and wonder
of what we had seen.
This must be what the shepherds felt
in a field a long time ago,
when they flushed
a covey of angels.
***This is a poem written many years ago but still one of my favorites. May you be surprised by joy and wonder during this Christmas season – K
the angel of ephemeral beauty
Such light and lightness reveal
as thru a mirrored day, sparkled
and triumphant.
What hear the song
from tiny bird in bough?
What shadow deep it springs?
Will light it brings
in melody and charm,
display the wings to rise upon?
What lightness!
What glory a December day,
all sparkled with song and sun.
the angel of small, forgotten things
I found that thing which had been lost.
Though to be honest,
I hadn’t realized it was lost.
In fact,
I had not thought of it in the least
for …
I have no idea how long.
But there it was-
in all its glory.
The thing that had been lost
or misplaced
or forgotten
was here.
In my hand.
It was now remembered.
A memory attached.
To always be that thing
that had been lost,
now found.
Angel Visitation III
I have never thought
Of angel wings
In any color but
Snowy goose feather white,
Angora white,
Fluffy pin-up girl wings,
Soft and airy.
But there she stood,
Calm and erect,
In quiet angelic dignity
With feathers of knife edged scarlet,
Blood red, ruby lipped wings,
Crystal hard and glowing.