A Month of Beginnings

The year 2011 was rounded off by the perfect visit with dear cousins doing all of our favorite things. The stroke of midnight found us standing around the kitchen counter, clinking together glasses of apple juice mixed with seltzer to create the tingle that we would otherwise have found in sparkling cider. During the next few minutes I slipped out to the front porch, where I watched stars fade in and out of view as clouds drifted across an ebony sky, and viewed the tiny splashes of color from firework displays down in the valley. And I thought over the past year, and dreamed for the coming one, and whispered out into the crisp, cold air of an early January morning the prayer that I pray every year at that moment: a prayer for a good year, and a growing heart, and a blessing on all of my family and friends. And if the first four days had a voice, I'm sure they would agree with me that, so far, this January has been a wonderful month of beginnings.

Logs

This tree, by April wreathed in flowers,

That sheened with leaves the summer hours,

In dappling shine and shade,

Now all that then was lovely lacks,

Is vanquished by the saw and axe,

And into firewood made.

How happy and gentle a daybreak song

Whispered its solemn boughs among,

At sigh of morning stirred;

It braved the dangerous lightning; rose

In splendor crowned with winter's snows;

And sheltered every bird

That perched with slender claw and wing

to preen, to rest, to roost, to sing,

Unseen, but not unheard.

But came the woodman with his axe

Into the sun-sweet glade;

And what was once all beauty and grace

Is into firewood made.

~Walter de la Mare