The theme for December's poetry challenge was "Wish I'd been There or a wistful look back at a historic event." Hmmmmmm. I'm not much of a wistful person. Nor a history-focused student. I prefer to think ahead, to what's possible, instead of looking at the past. (Although, I DO love historical drama. Maybe it's the clothes.)
Anyhow, I was stumped on this one until I stumbled across this article from Mental Floss about the Winter Solstice, and learned that several revolutionary events happened on the "shortest day" in 1620, 1898, and 1968. Add in the fact that Solstice roughly translates to "sun stands still" and I had myself a poem.
Be well, all. You still have time.
The Sun Stands Still
Sounds lonely,
doesn’t it?
Sol, hovering
as she did
for Pilgrims,
cloaked and anxious,
setting booted foot upon rock.
Sounds ordinary,
doesn’t it?
Sol, loitering
as she did
for Pierre and Marie Curie,
gaping at radium,
opening the atomic age.
Sounds quiet,
doesn’t it?
Sol, idling
as she did
for William, Frank, James,
hearts shaking, rumbling
moonward in Apollo 8.
Don’t hold
your breath, then
when Sol suspends
us.
Be lonely, be ordinary,
be quiet. Sounds poetic,
Doesn’t it?
------Sara Lewis Holmes (all rights reserved)
You can find my Poetry Sisters' wistfulness here:
Poetry Friday is hosted today by Irene Latham.
