December Redrawn As A Landscape \ So We Shine

Nancy: Our landscape, in the snow, is black and white as if drawn with ink on rice paper.

December Redrawn As A Landscape

A low roof, a path,

boulder slopes, a pine-dark mountain

            empty until you see the tiny figure;

now you see that this is a journey,

            black and white, ink and dream,

a landscape waiting, a traveler, a goal.

That old lady has gone to get the sun.

Tomorrow she will draw this landscape

            again, in color, in light.

Alan: When I came across this old poem, I was struck by its non-gender-neutral language.  Feel free to substitute “her” and “herself” for “his” and “himself” throughout.

So We Shine

                              “ Exposed on the mountains of the heart” – Rilke

So we shine the brighter, each in his own way

So the feathered tree clutches and is nourished by the snow

So we shine like snowfields as each comes into light

So we blink out blindly across the gulf

So the tree breaks loose and soars alone

So an eagle rides from each and tilts and claws the air

So the air holds us all and nourishes our wings

So we rise and circle, circle, rise again

So we vanish together and altogether

So the snows remain, so the mountains, so the gulf

So light is equality as each shines in his own way

So at night the seeds lie waiting in the snow

So each wraps his wings in himself

So each keeps himself until light has come from each

So each unfolds and rises in his way