Happy Solstice, y’all! And a Blessed Yule to all who celebrate. /|\ May the return of the light bring everything you need in order to thrive, and may your hearth always be warm and bright.
I admit I am a fan of the waning half of the year over the waxing half but both have their place and I am learning to appreciate every season for what it brings.
Here’s a poem from Night Hag in the Flame that I wrote about the Winter Solstice a few years back. It references Holly King/Oak King lore; worth a lookup if you aren’t familiar with it.
Winter winds scour and polish, leaving
The distilled essences of things open to the air.
An inner honing, freed from bitterness,
The crystal clarity of deep December chill.
On this, the longest night,
As the ancient balance shifts again,
The falling king thrusts words into my arms
And bids me await his rise.
A thorned kiss, a breath of frost,
And the dawn draws ever nearer.
With evergreen promise on bleeding lips,
Holly-hearted, I stand.
Mel’s Monday Musings: December 21, 2020
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