Winter Solstice, 2025
May yours be bright.
This time of year, no matter what the year has brought, no matter what I’m feeling, the solstice calls to me.
Whatever we celebrate, or don’t celebrate, we all just experienced the longest night of the year, and the shortest day—and the tip back into lengthening daylight, even as the days (presumably?) get colder.
So here is a shimmer of the light to come. Happy happy and merry merry—and I thank you all for reading my work throughout the year.
Winter Solstice, 2025 Hold-onto-yer-cap- level winds whip through today, just winds being winds, doing what they do not only today but every year, all year—troubles blow in the neighbors' trash and snag it on the barbed wire, worries I abandoned in the dry arroyo's bed come sailing back to smack me in the face—the first whistle through the sun- baked window frame convinces me to brace for all the things unimagined that might, just might, crash down during these dry inland storms. And above me, above it all, untouched by earthly breezes, Orion loosens his belt with a twinkle for his eye, all those years spent sailing through the coldest light-years just to land as a twinkle in my eye, and the sun promises she is growing back, sturdy and sure, not only today, but every year— right on point.
Living in Wisconsin has very much led me to celebrating winter solstice. Bring back the sun!!!
Happy Solstice!