Author's note: I'm a long time fan of BatB. I'm primarily a writer, not a poet, so this doesn't conform to any particular poetry format or structure. I had some trouble with the editing on this site (are the lines really spaced that far apart? How can I change the spacing?Why did I have to retype the entire poem into edit/preview instead of just copying and pasting? So frustrating!), so hope it comes through correctly.
Winter Solstice
We have a secret
Hidden in the cold
Hidden beneath the snow
I meet you on the threshold
In the depth of night
On the longest night of the year
You take my hand and we walk
Through the underground tunnels
Past the places where your family sleeps
Until we come to the outside
The deep cold breathing in
Bitter but for the warmth of you
We slip out quietly like errant children
Sharing mischievous glances
Like stolen chocolates
The night is so still
The air so crisp
Stars glitter and glint in the black sky
Snow crunches under our feet
Naked tree branches cast black shadows
The moon is waxing near full
There is no need for words with you
There is no need for material gifts
What I share with you goes beyond such things
If I can share this night with you
If I can share the stars
I will give up the tinsel and holly
Trade instead for the magic of my hand in yours
And the moonlight caught in the tangle of your hair
And your arm holding me close
And especially, especially...
The wonder of your first kiss
So the cold melts away
Becoming distant and forgotten
As winter holds us in its hands
Secret and safe
F. E. Lin 12/2004