December 22 - December 26 Week 49/72
a green wreath brightened with sprigs
of freshly cut winterberry adds
a welcome circle of color as days
hanging on the end of a long pendulum
begin their gradual swing back
to the possibilities of a new growing season
until then, I revel in the stunning beauty of purple carrots
seasoned with the sweetness of frost-filled nights
which have also coaxed the ice back into the lake
framing a beaver whose quiet munching
breaks the hushed stillness of Christmas Eve