And 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, revelling.
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, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!
© Susan Cooper
One of my favorite Yuletide traditions is to read Susan Cooper's exquisite "Dark is Rising" cycle every year. Her lovely Christmas Revels poem is perfect for this whole holiday interval in which we celebrate the return of light to the world.
3 comments:
When the dark comes rising, six shall turn it back :)
Love those books, and this poem - thank you!
I read those books so long ago- if I remember I bought them for my son originally. Of course I loved them too. Thanks for the memory. I may have to re-read them.
Mary
Have you heard about this new BBC dramatization, one episode a day from the 20th to the 31st…. https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/the-dark-is-rising-bbc-world-service
Seems to be available through the BBC World Service website and BBC Sounds app. This tale is new to me; looking forward to listening!
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