First snow and a November moon....
The Darkest
Hour Beckons
I
slam the front door behind me and step into the early hours of night,
The
stone steps slick in the meager days just prior to the winter solstice.
I
stop suddenly, dropping the scheduled meeting from my mind’s calendar,
My
face turned upward into an unexpected sprinkle of gentle flurries.
The
stillness is lit from above as the moon, nearly full, rises and floats, so
I
turn round and round, breathing in deeply and releasing more than air.
The
following morning, the door slams again as I retrace my steps and
See
numerous tracks in fresh snow, evidence of a burst of activity.
Birds
and white tail deer, squirrel and rabbit, even the neighbor’s cat
Out
and about to hunt and forage, prowl and taunt in faintest light.
Yet,
each seemed to pause in the exact same spot as if to hold a meeting
Or
find respite from the cold or reprieve from a demanding schedule.
Did
each creature lift face upward as well for even the briefest moment,
Snow
falling and clinging to fur and feather just as it had to my skin?
Did
each being give a nod of approval to the heavens for Luna’s assistance,
A
luminescent sky to ease the burden of chores necessary for survival?
What
remained were fresh tracks scattered among my own from heavy boots and
Knowledge that even as the darkest hour beckons, I will not stand alone.
Knowledge that even as the darkest hour beckons, I will not stand alone.
