Adventuring through the wilderness of cyberspace, I came across this poem by Meta Herrick Carlson and it reminded me that the Earth gives us instruction on how to handle the ebbs and flows of life through her example. May this season of stillness soften and recharge you for your next chapter. Hope you enjoy–
Hibernate
When the earth turns cold and firm,
set down the tools that callused your hands
that shaped your meaning in other seasons.
Do so willingly and with reverence
or the icy wind will take them from your grip!
You are like the winter solstice sun rising
later and lower in the bleak, harsh sky.
You are like a fallow field set apart for now,
recovering, regenerating, and being reconciled.
You are like a soup made of things on hand,
hearty and simmering and more than enough.
The whole prairie is in on it, sabbath’s splendor!
Let it shift you slowly and simply toward rest,
modifying all your movements and motivations.
Burrow and hunker, be found in the stillness again.
Permissions and Use: These poems are written by Meta Herrick Carlson. They were commissioned by Shalom Hill Farm in Windom, Minnesota as part of the Prairie Spirituality Project, 2023. They are posted on the prairie trails there as a resource for movement and reflection.
