Winter Solstice (December 21)

Inside the body of fire, this live altar—
Oh! To be young again,
riding the Mother waters,
lulled by the sapphire—
hope keeping starry vigil!

Form comes forth from nothing—
swaddled in sheets of ice

‘Til morning, then
sound— the short name
of woman creating.

Wonder spins
In languages of spiders, hisses
out each newborn’s breath—
the last thread in her tapestry of loss.