Tuesday, December 21, 2021

The Solstice

by W. S. Merwin


They say the sun will come back

at midnight

after all

my one love


but we know how the minutes

fly out into

the dark trees

and vanish


like the great 'ōhi'as and honey creepers

and we know how the weeks

walk into the

shadows at midday


at the thought of the months I reach for your hand

it is not something

one is supposed 

to say


we watch the bright birds in the morning

we hope for the quiet

daytime together

the year turns into air


but we are together in the whole night

with the sun still going away

and the year

coming back