Give any human being five random objects, and she'll make a pattern out of them. That's what the human mind does, create patterns. Anything that has been around for a very long time, experienced by a great many human beings, is going to be intricately patterned indeed. And so the year and its seasons has a traditional pattern, turning in a great wheel, with each major point in the turn associated with its own meaning and myth.
| Candlemas Brigid Groundhog's Day February 2 Ostara Beltane Midsummer
|  | Winter Solstice December 22 Samhain Mabon Lammas |
| Groundhog in the snow startled by his shadow. Promise him roses. |
| Silent white mountain. Splash of cardinals feeding. I yield my ski run. |
| Maypoles are symbols for that part of human minds that gets off on symbols. |
| Trees go down to the water like deer. Mountains go down to the water like bears. |
| Hairy pirate guys run past me every August. I've never caught one. |
| Thunder in the dark. Quiet within your arms. |
| Now all threatening shadows open into warmth and light. |
Winter Solstice
Which has its own intricate patterning. The longest night of the year is also the night that the year turns back toward the light. The emotional significance of this time powers story and ritual in all religions and all cultures. Here are twelve poems from myself and friends at StreetWrites and StreetLife Gallery, celebrating different aspects of this time of year: