A host that shines upon the sleeping earth,
And we, abiding in its precious light,
Are graced by the divinity of birth,
A communion of wind and stars and trees
And meteors that lead across the sky
And waves that rush and curl the foaming seas,
Karen
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful! I am transported THERE reading it.
I love the last four lines
Lovely
Linda
Wonderful and glorifying of He who comes.
ReplyDeleteEnchanting, Karen! image and words...
ReplyDeleteA beautiful, lyrical celebration. It builds into those last four lines like a song in crescendo.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing like nature for showing us the divine and a good time of year for recognising it.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful day.
Sarah.)
It's magical, fantastical, and very alluring!!!:) I enjoyed the read...!!!:D
ReplyDelete>Kelvin
What a beautiful piece of writing, Karen. I love the way the word "consecrates" in the first line sets the mood and tone, and, as others have said, the final four lines with those natural images, are spectacular. Really liked it.
ReplyDeleteI think the holidays should always bring us back to nature, next week is Winter Solstice also.
ReplyDeleteWe are truly blessed Karin, to be part of God's divine universe.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful Poem!
It does seem like the winter night falls away, and we are closer to the rest of the universe.
ReplyDeleteI love those nights, when the feeling in our hearts is in harmony with the greater world. That's a grace that connects us all.
ReplyDeleteI think the true cathedrals are found in nature. This poem is a beautiful prayer of wonder and gratitude, Karen. I loved the largeness of it, and its sacred intimacy. Perfect for the season!!
Beautiful, Karen, just amazing poetry! (I'd love to see a picture of your daughter's tattoo.) Hugs & Blessings!!
ReplyDeleteLinda - I hope the spirit of Christmas is with you throughout the season. Merry Christmas (and thanks)!
ReplyDeleteKat - Amen. :-D
Calli - Thanks! Merry Christmas, dear friend!
Chris - Thank you. It was our email conversation that spurred me to write something. (I'm still at the "use it or lose it" stage of writing...)
Selchie - I'm sure you see nature's majesty there on the coast. I hope your Christmas visit is (was?) a happy one. Merry Christmas!
Kelvin - Thank you for your always generous comments.
Joanne - Thank you for reading and for your comments. Advent has me in the right mood, I think.
Dianne - I actually have a winter solstice poem ready and waiting in the wings! It's my very own birthday poem, an old one that I'm going to re-post next week. As for your comment on nature, I could not agree more about returning to nature. For me, its majesty is the visible sign of God.
Margaret - Amen, amen! Merry Christmas!
jason - ...and that's a wonderful place to be! :-D
Sarah - Even your comments are eloquent, and I always look forward to your insight. Thank you, and merry, Merry Christmas!
Marion - Thank you! I'll have to ask her to pose (but somehow I doubt she'd want her back paraded around the blogs! ;-) Merry Christmas, dear friend.
Karen-I don't believe there's a finer moon, than the December, one, nor a finer writer to describe it. Thank you~rick
ReplyDeleteHi, Rick! You caught me playing around with blog colors. (Here's a secret revealed: I'm color blind - at least that's what people who seem to agree on colors tell me. As for me, I see colors, just not like other people, apparently. Anyway, if this blog looks weird, now you know why!) Thanks for the sweet comment. I'm happy to know that you're still around and I can talk to you at my place! :-)
ReplyDeleteI wondered how to comment and then got to your reply to Rick. I found a poem in your words.
ReplyDeleteColor Blind
You said you must be
color blind, that explains it,
that explains how you
reach past my heart, then
pluck the world beyond my ken
and leave me loosely
bound to ground beneath
your gentle lovely notice,
grayed out in your place.
Karen, you brought two universes together, with words and images of exquisite beauty.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, dear Karen!
thank you - i didn't know how much i needed this until i read it - a succinct and beautiful reminder of what it's all about. from the opening line all the wa through - that's a communion i want to be a part of. perfect.
ReplyDelete{{Christopher}} - I could receive no higher honor than this poem. Thank you, dear friend.
ReplyDeleteVesper - Merry Christmas to you, too, dear Vesper. (You've been out of this world for a while; it's nice to see you back here. I hope your book is going well.)
joaquin - What a very nice think to say! It's really easy to get caught up in the frenzy of Christmas and forget the reason. I know I need to feel the hush of wonder. Merry Christmas!
joaquin- Pardon the typo, please.
ReplyDeleteKaren, I'll always get to you when I can. also rikkij77@yahoo.co.uk Really liked this piece and the pick. Like the peace your writing gives me. ~rick
ReplyDeleteA service I can attend readily, even though I will need my thermals and all of my Carhartt gear.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully done!
ReplyDeleteLovely!!!
ReplyDeleteKaren, I've been horrible about visiting lately. But I want to wish for you the most blessed of Christmas seasons. I know your words will find me in the New Year, again, still. :)
ReplyDeleteDecember nights are indeed the best religion.
ReplyDelete(But only when there's snow on the ground.)
Rick - Thanks for the address and the comments.
ReplyDeleteTWM - I've always contended He doesn't care how we dress for the service! There really is no more peaceful place than a snowy country night. It's as if the whole world has hushed for a while.
Thanks, John!
Gauri Mathur - Welcome, and thanks!
Jennifer - It's so good to hear from you! Merry Christmas to you, too. I hope the family is well and happy!
Joseph - Thanks. This is my feeble attempt at RWP. I got a little distracted... :-)
Hi, Karen. I need to carry your poems around with me to help keep me peaceful on crazy days. These are beautiful, wonderful words. I love the tone of the poem and how it makes me feel when I read it. It is a great reminder to slow down and breathe the majesty of creation. It's sad to me how some people turn Christmas into a commercial holiday. I think God wants us to appreciate the beauty and love. I do, and that's also why I appreciate your poem very much. I also love those last four lines, and the fantastic rhythm and music. It feels like that quiet rush of snow falling, and it is such a good feeling. Yet another wonderful poem, dear Karen!
ReplyDeleteI am an agnostic. But I do believe in the divine power and I sure do love the magical spirit of Christmas. It sure is the season to be jolly! It is one time of the year I am in most peace with myself. To me it doesn't get any more spiritual than that!
ReplyDeleteA merry Christmas to you and your loved ones Karen!
PS: Say Hi to Juliet from me, will ya. :)
Aniket - It's magic that you appeared here just when I was thinking, "Where's Aniket when you need him?" Actually, it's a techie thing. I can't figure out how to make the html codes work to italicize or bold in blogger comments...? Oh, and merry, Merry Christmas to you, too. I think you have much of the spirit of God in you, whether you know it or not!
ReplyDeleteLemme check -
ReplyDeleteBOLD
Italics
They seem to be working.
ReplyDeleteYou just need to put write it in the comments as less-than-sign b greater-than-sign "the text you want in bold" less-than-sign /b greater-than-sign.
You just need to put write it in the comments as less-than-sign i greater-than-sign "the text you want in italics" less-than-sign /i greater-than-sign.
Check these examples if you get stuck:
http://www.w3schools.com/tags/tag_font_style.asp
Hi Karen,
ReplyDeleteSeems you hardly need more plaudits here but I must add my voice to those in praise of your poem. No matter how many prompt words you used, this is beautiful.
The December moon consecrates the night,
ReplyDeleteTo bless us with earth's sacramental signs.
First and last lines frame this poem beautifully. I like the way you bring the natural world into the "season's greetings" to intimate the message of Peace on Earth!
I like the sureness of tone and the music in this; it's eloquent and rejoicing.
ReplyDeleteAniket - You're a genius! I was leaving out the slash! Mwah! (That's a kiss!)
ReplyDeleteKaren, You paint the mysteries with grace.
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful and also spritual.
ReplyDelete*blushes
ReplyDeleteNow, since I am venturing into web development its my new job. So I better know it. :P
You know what geeks say html stands for? "How To Meet Ladies" :D So I kinda had to learn it. :P
This is a fantastic Christmas card for anyone who comes by to read the contents and cherish the words. Thank you for posting both the picture and the poem, Karen! The angels are singing.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful thing to leave us with in the holidays. And the picture is haunting and luminous.
ReplyDeleteBTW: I was just reading about your hypoglycemia over at Mark's place. A good thing to discover! At least you know the vicissitudes are controllable!
Anyway my dear, have a lovely holiday. I'm so grateful for you.
So beautiful, so heartful, so divine.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Wonderful picture. And beautiful poetry too..
ReplyDeleteode to percy bisque silley
Julie - Crossing in space, connected by heart and experience. You gave me a smile and provoked memories, and I gave you some peace and a little breather from the rush of things. Merry Christmas, and thank you for your gifts.
ReplyDeleteAniket - Merry Christmas to you, too. I know you have the spirit of Christmas within you. I see it shining!
Derrick - Welcome to my blog, and thank you for your comments. I've seen you at Dave King's and Joseph Harker's places, and it's nice to meet you here.
Paul - Thank you for your nice comment. I saw at your blog that you share your middle name with both my father and my son. It's nice to meet another!
Tumblewords - Welcome, and thank you!
David - I'm honored that you came by here. I really admire your work. Thanks for the comments.
Irene - Welcome, and thanks!
Jeeves - Thank you, and thanks for coming by here.
Linda - Merry Christmas! You just made my evening with that comment. Thank you!
Cat - Hugs to you through space. I hope your dad is better and all is well during this sacred season. Happy Solstice and Merry Christmas!
Julie - Thank you for your comment. I am enjoying reading your work. Merry Christmas!
gautami - Thank you so much! (oh, and thanks for stopping by)
Lovely poem, it almost sounds like a Wiccan prayer.
ReplyDeletevery nice use of words for sure...thanks for sharing this
ReplyDeleteLovely tone, melodic rhymes, tender images. Perfect for this season. Thank you for this gift.
ReplyDeletekondratas - The symbolism is meant to be Christian - the host, the divine birth which the sleeping earth awaits, the sacraments, etc., for I cannot in my mind separate Creator from created - the earth and all of nature. So,I hear the very leaves whisper their prayers as they bud or grow or fall - so, too I sense all of the earth bowing down at Christmas. Sorry if that sounds preachy; just explaining my thinking. :-)
ReplyDeleteWayne Pitchko - Welcome, and thank you for stopping by.
Therese - Thanks for stopping by and for your nice comments.
I love the spirituality in this poem. I know you said that the symbolism is Christian, but I agree with Kondratas. In fact, your comment above to Kondratas is moving and beautiful as well.
ReplyDelete-Roberta
Roberta - Thanks for stopping by and for your comment. You have a good point - if the love of nature is the object of the worship. Thanks for making me think a little more deeply!
ReplyDelete