Solstice
One candle
in the dark of the darkest morning.
This evening two,
a double blessing, will be lit
and Shabbat prayers prayed.
Three on the Advent wreath,
hope, peace, and joy.
Christmas tree lights will sparkle,
and fireplaces blaze.
But this morning there is just
one candle
flickering in the still gray light.
7:47, sunrise, passes without some
blaze of glory.
No splendid rays of sunlit hope.
Instead,
I look down at the page
and can see just a little bit better.
The greens and grays out the window are
a bit clearer.
The slick wet streets reflect the
grainy light.
The silhouette of damp bare trees
show the contrast
backlit by the subtle illumination,
where the leaves are no more.
–Anna Woofenden 2018