Thank you, Bill. That is lovely and perhaps we need it more this year than others. Sue On 12/21/2012 11:06 AM, Bill Gawne wrote: > Dear friends of Beara, > > On this (northern hemisphere) winter solstice day I offer you this > sweet verse by Susan Cooper: > > And so the Shortest Day came and the year died > And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world > Came people singing, dancing, > To drive the dark away. > They lighted candles in the winter trees; > They hung their homes with evergreen; > They burned beseeching fires all night long > To keep the year alive. > And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake > They shouted, revelling. > Through all the frosty ages you can hear them > Echoing behind us - listen! > All the long echoes, sing the same delight, > This Shortest Day, > As promise wakens in the sleeping land: > They carol, feast, give thanks, > And dearly love their friends, > And hope for peace. > And now so do we, here, now, > This year and every year. > > > -- Bill > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message