The longest night
In darkest night comes the birth of the light. That’s tonight! This gray windy day never seemed to get completely light–and then came the dark.
In my indexing, I’m working on a book about propaganda and lies–also dark!
I’m ready for the birth of the light.
Poetry Friday
And it’s Poetry Friday. Thanks to today’s host, Buffy’s Blog.You can go to Buffy’s blog and see what other poets and poetry lovers are thinking about on this short day/long night.
In honor of the solstice and Poetry Friday, I’m sharing a poem I started to write many years ago. As I sifted through old papers (another journey into the darkness!) I found this one–and edited it. I’m not sure I’m done editing it, but today is the day for this poem about the birth of the light.
I wrote this poem based on an image that came to me in a meditation. In this image, I gathered the darkness and–well, you can read the rest.
BIRTH OF THE LIGHT
Susan Bruck
She bade me gather up the darkness
And make of it a skin.
Stretch it into a drum, she said,
A drum made of night.
Feel the drum’s beat.
It is my heart
And you, my beloved, are my blood.
Play for me.
Dance for me.
Sing for me.
For tonight I give birth to the light
The glowing bones inside temporal flesh
Embrace me,
Feast with me who consumes all.
Let me swallow you. Take me into your body.
We are one.
Only through darkness
Can you find light.
Dance away death.
Come into love.
Play my drum
Made from the skin of darkness.
Birth of the Light
My recent trip to Colorado reminded me of what it feels like to stand in the light. So much of winter in Chicago consists of grey and cloudy–or dark. But this time of year also reminds me that we carry the light within us. That we can shine the light of our love and attention on whatever we choose. Even though we can easily be over-busy during the holiday season, these short days and long nights call us to find the light within–ourselves, our loved ones–and to find what lights up our lives–our passions, creativity, family.
It’s also a time of year when I think a lot about home. In this post, I shared some thoughts Finding Home and belonging.
I hope you can find your own light in this darkness. I hope you can celebrate the darkness and the light. On my best days, I can embrace the darkness. Other days, I just feel scared or angry. I’m learning to be okay with both of those things and accept them as part of my own cycle of life.
And I try to remember that babies grow in darkness. And seeds, too, until they are ready to emerge into the lgith.
I wish you warmth and light on this first day of winter.
And I thank you for sharing your precious time here with me.
xoxo
A drum made of night — love that image! A skin of darkness. It’s just what I need to hear. Thanks, Susan. Happy holidays!
Thanks, Tabatha–happy holidays to you, too!
Such a powerful reminder to search inside and find our own light – winter in my part of the world is dark, dark, dark, and sometimes it can be hard to remember what that light looks like!
It can be grey here for days on end in the winter–good to find light (and warmth) elsewhere!
Having the light come from within us–is refreshing especially in our neck of the woods, after many cloudy days. Thanks for welcoming and spreading the light with your poem and thoughts Susan! Powerful and handsome paintings too.
Thanks!
Nice to meet you, Susan. I really love the visceral diction of this piece, like an incantation!
Nice to meet you, too! And thanks–glad you enjoyed the poem. It did kind of feel like a chant or incantation.