Winter Solstice

Today, here in the North, we mark the Winter Solstice. In the Christian tradition it is Advent,
​a time of waiting for the birth of Jesus.

The Advent of Winter Solstice

I wait as darkness deepens, softens
thickens until it is a generous cloth, substantial
enough to pull around myself, snug under my chin
draw over my head

over my head, actual stars twinkle
stars twinkle like those little L-E-D string lights
except not in colour and not in strings really either
more scattered, like the tiny seeds I plant
in the summer to grow radishes

to grow radishes is an act of faith
an act of a faith I didn’t think I had until now that
I thought about putting tiny specs into the dark
moist soil and trusting that they would emerge
round and as red as roses

red as roses that perfume the air with mystery
an air of mystery exploding with all of the colours of the
twinkly lights pretending to be stars strung across the sky
and I am a seed buried in the darkness robed around me
inviting me to reach into the depth and emerge somehow new

somehow new moons appear every month
every month moons rebirth out of darkness waxing into fullness
full and round as Miriam, the Beloved Mother cradling
the precious life growing in her waiting to birth
as Mother Earth and the dark wait to birth me

And I am held here, wrapped as
I wait
​
~ kimiko

Waiting with the Mother

In that moment, before giving birth
As wonder turns to discomfort
As hands cradle belly, full, back, aching
In that moment
Before the threshold moment
Mother with baby boy held
Deep in the darkness
They are One

She is everything in this moment
She is everything
She is the Earth’s nourishing root systems
Feeding new life deep within
She is the quenching Lake and the warming Sun
She is the Universe

She is the embodiment of Oneness, of All-in-All
She is full and round
Is the thin place readying to wash the Holy into the World
She is the quiet curve of evening preparing
for the ferocity of the day

All Stardust has filtered down
To create this new life
And we wait with Her on this longest night
We wait
~ kimiko