The Shortest Day
by Susan Cooper
So the shortest day came, and the year died,
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive,
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, reveling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us – Listen!!
All the long echoes sing the same delight,
This shortest day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, fest, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!!
Natural Views 
Lovely, Joan, this really hits the spot for the festive season! Very nice how you intertwined the poem and the creative photos here. Thanks also for reminding me that the winter solstice has been with us.
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Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it. The poem is one of the nicest winter ones I have found. I was going to post the poem, and then decided to add photos, and it grew from there!
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Such is how the writing process often goes, eh? Enjoy! ✍️
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