From: oneal@astro.psu.edu (Doug O'Neal)
Subject: Midwinter's Night poem
Date: 20 Dec 1993 01:14:38 GMT

Thought I'd post this poem, which I conceived on Midwinter's Night
three years ago ...


Reveries of a Midwinter's night 
A stroll in the sleeping woods 
A grey sky from which fall 
As I look up, upon my face 
A billion crystal flakes 

Then the snow ceases, grey gives way 
Clouds part, Orion through the mist 
Gemini, winter's brilliant hexagon 
My spirit far away, the Milky Way 
Take me there my faith, to discover, to revere 
A far greater cold beyond, between the galaxies 

My breath meets the air, visibly by the starlight 
An earthly cold, my face, my toes, but not within my heart 
For on this Midwinter's night 
Thoughts of friends, magic times past and future 
Take me back, show me again the way 

Through the night, snowballs falling 
From tree limbs in the wind 
Falling, tiny cascades, splashing 
Branches free of their burden, rocking 
The voices of the enchanted snow 
They speak, my heart longs 

But the heavens roll, stars of springtime 
Speak of warmer times to come 
Contentment, return to beloved havens 
Friends to find, to keep, beauty, knowledge, love 
Give me the spirit to find them 

Scorpius heralds the dawn, a Sagittarian sunrise 
Winter begins, the Sun's renaissance 
Celebrated since so long ago 
Those ancient festivals and my prayers 
All heard this Midwinter's night 


					-- D. O'Neal 


P.S.  Happy Yule everyone! 

P.P.S.  "Dammit Jim, I'm an astronomer, not a poet!"