Saturday, December 14, 2013

The Coming of the Light


photo by the Elk Valley Bear Aware program



The dark hunkers down over the north west,
settling around the ears of
mountain and  forest,
river and swamp,
raccoon and rabbit,
probing  arctic fingers
across the misting field,
horse blowing steam 
over the icy barn bucket.

The gray sky lowers
like a billowing skirt,
till it is
scarcely above our heads,
oppressive and laden
with unspent snow,
erasing all memory
of a horizon.
As the day shortens, 
from morning coffee
to afternoon tea,
night to night flits past -
with just a cameo appearance
made by Day.

The trees, 
draped in their mist-shawls
are waiting.
Bear, curled into the root-bowl
of grandfather cedar,
is dreaming of warmer days,
of fish and berry.
Wolf, fleet, shimmering, stealthy,
seeks his supper in a world
gone silent, still
and sleeping. 

All chilly beings huddle 
into their nests
and coats and blankets,
fix their eyes upon the sky
with patient hope,
as expectant as chickens.

All is suspended, waiting,
through moments frozen in time.

We are, all of us, 
- tree and bear, 
wolf and pond and withering vine  -
just waiting for
the Coming of the Light.


Mary is tending bar today over at dVerse Poets Pub, where her prompt is: the Light. Do check out some of the other links for this prompt, as there are always wonderful responses at dVerse.


42 comments:

  1. smiles..i like the connection you draw between all living things...how we all look for the light...passin our lives caring for our own...feeding them the best we can and passing on what we know....

    stay warm...happy holidays sherry.

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  2. Sherry, I love how you brought in the nature into this.. the bear the wolf... we are all waiting for return of the light... and how you paint the nature with your words..

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  3. Nice. I too liked the connection you draw between the many creatures including us, looking for light. :-)
    One of my favorite images is that of the sky as a billowing skirt. Well-penned.
    -HA

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  4. What a beautiful ode to nature and its patient creatures waiting under the winter cold, waiting for coming of the light ~

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  5. I loved the ears of the mountain... such a fun write... I've done a bear educational unit with my grand daughter... would love to use your poem... will let her see the post

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  6. The bears and wolves are smart b/c there really is nothing else to do but hibernate. I love your ending, Sherry. Happy Holidays.

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  7. you caught one of the essences of all life in this poem.. we all look for light...

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  8. Such beautiful winter images crafted with mastery
    " night to night flits past
    with a cameo appearance made by day"

    We all await the coming of the light in whatever form it takes Stunning poem
    I wish you a Happy Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

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  9. Love for living things and caring for them is not just fulfilling but a noble thing to do. Wonderful write Sherry! Merry Christmas!

    Hank

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  10. The Harmonious Nature in your verse makes the luminous Light shimmer all the brighter, drawing ALL toward it. so very lovely!!

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  11. A beautiful poem! You have really captured the feeling of this time of year, Sherry, with your writing of nature as it is at this season. And so very true, we definitely are hunkering for the light. I will be glad when the days become a little bit longer after December 21!

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  12. Great description of nature in the Pacific Northwest!
    And the light will come ..meanwhile we hibernate.

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  13. You have given Nature ears and fingers dressing "her" beautifully in your precious poem, Sherry. Silent night, holy night, all is calm...all creatures, all Creation waiting for His coming, how beautiful!
    A hug and happy season, dear.
    :)

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  14. Enjoyed the Day's "cameo appearance" and the unexpected "expectant as chickens". Yes, we all eagerly await His coming!

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  15. So beautiful, this expectant waiting! From the opening personifications down to the last watchfulness, this poem reminded me of wombs and birth and wholeness.

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  16. Your poem glimmers with natural law, truth, & spirituality; just a ways further north than I, you cast Day as a cameo bit player in the drama of night to night; loved that. You captured Nature as the through-line, with all God's creatures in the cast, giving perspective to h. sapiens, who mistakenly claim this time of year as our own dominion. Nice job.

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  17. Bravo Sherry! As always, you're attuned to the rhythm and bring it to us with such vivid words. Very, very nice.

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  18. waiting together for the coming of the light... with all the other creatures...loved this...and loved the bear pic as well...and not only the pic but how you wrote about him as well... i have a weak spot for bears...smiles

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  19. What a beautiful portrait of Nature around you, Sherry! I also like how you remain down-to-earth with the mentions of your hot drinks.
    And we will all be grateful when the Light comes.

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  20. Yes, I am waiting with you, and with all Creation, for the Coming of the Light.

    I absolutely love the imagery in this poem. It takes me back to my days in the Northeast, when barren trees and ice and gray skies were commonplace in winter. Here in the Desert Southwest, I rejoice in abundant sunshine! ;)

    A Wordle Whiff of Christmas

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  21. As always Sherry - your exquisite ability to join all things natural into the mystical ...

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  22. Your natural descriptions are very imaginative. I especially liked this:
    The gray sky lowers
    like a billowing skirt,
    till it is
    scarcely above our heads..

    You brought the winter scene to my eyes, way over here on a hot summer's day in Africa.

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  23. Love the ending statement! Again, I know I'm repeating myself, but how you capture nature.. really touching.

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  24. This one is certainly one of my most favorites!!!

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  25. the end is breathtaking......silent wait for a glorious moment of light...

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  26. This is so big! Uplifting to stars with Light! Thanks, Sherry!

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  27. you're in tune with Nature.
    beautiful images. :)

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  28. I really enjoyed this poem so much magic in nature and living creatures all seeking warmth
    in their nests while seeking the light..really liked the reference to bears and wolves..that whole stanza was rich in meaning..

    Will be in touch..

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  29. Sherry this is so lovely. The ending is wonderful. We all do wait for the light. I like your description of the forest creatures in hibernation

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  30. Sherry,
    The impending arrival of wintery weather and the changes which will follow. The period of early darkness, then followed by the turn of the season again, and a light to lead the way...I love the time in January, when there is a glimpse of hope ahead..
    Best wishes,
    Eileen:)

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  31. Oh wow, this is gorgeous Sherry. A new favorite of yours for me. Just masterful...bookmarking.

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  32. Howsoever much we claim to be superior, nothing beats the fact that is! riding on the same boat as every other living being, waiting for hope and some warmth. Very beautiful!

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  33. Nature never fails to enthrall...
    And your poem enthralled as well!

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  34. the whole world in waiting , so soulful ....!

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  35. This made me want to pull a blanket around me a little tighter! I like the line "with just a cameo appearance, made by Day."
    Looking forward to the longer days and more than just a cameo appearance!

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  36. Really enjoyable descriptive phrases. Lovely, thank you.

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  37. Hi there Sherry, Very evocative and sustained piece of writing - from: 'the dark hunkers down...' you had me... With Best Wishes Scott www.scotthastie.com

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  38. Beautiful Sherry and yes, I agree: at times, we must all wait for the light.

    Elizabeth

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  39. Excellent. Mystical in all its naturalness. "The gray sky lowers / like a billowing skirt," Perfect.

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  40. I admire the characterization of bear and wolf - and the counterpoint of chickens! really well penned ~

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