Happy Solstice!

[rivka]

The Shortest Day
by Susan Cooper

And 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, revelling.
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 now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!

Comments

[ruisseau.livejournal.com]

I read that at this year's Yule's ritual for our community and we used to tie together the diverse activities we did. I think it went well. :)

[marnanel.livejournal.com]

Oo. Is that the same Susan Cooper who wrote The Dark is Rising?

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

Yep! She wrote it for the Christmas Revels in 1977.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Doesn't it fit perfectly?

[threeringedmoon.livejournal.com]

And a happy solstice to you and yours as well.

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

I'm not doing Revels this year. But oh, I love that poem.

Happy solstice to you!

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

Good Yule!

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting this again. It just brought a smile to my face, after a very difficult day.