Thank heavens for blooming December

Let me brighten up your day with brilliant poet and friend Robert Graham's latest verse to encourage all of us to look to the bright side of a month that is

traditionally d r e a r – and very d r e a r at that.

December's about to happen, and up here in the northern hemisphere we know what that bleak month means.

A cold, wet and windy time with a noticeable absence beyond the back door of any pleasurable compensation.

December! It's been so grim over the centuries that humankind has even had to invent a fairy tale of a cheery, bearded shoplifter, or pound-shop manager.

Winged reindeer

The character is dragged about by winged reindeer as he doles out the spoils of his little ways or goodies from shelves that his shoppers won't squander a pound on.

Yes, we're nearly in the month when the wind blows, rain forgets to stop, and the garden is emptied. Or is it?

It isn't, prompts poet Robert who encourages us to look a little closer. Isn't that a bloom stretching awake in our wintry gloom?

From the window, the scene might be of low clouds, the slant of grey rain, and perhaps blotches of stained snow.

Yet through it all, the rose is there, shunning the dull chill to show beauty and to encourage us, as our poet, a great gardener himself, points out …

Compassion and December roses

About us both let's blow a bubble,

And in it, float away from trouble,

To where the dancing stars all play,

Along the silky, Milky Way,

For food we'll eat those rock cakes found,

Upon all near spheres cratered ground,

From long expired stars we'll squeeze,

The stardust dew and drink – then sneeze*....

Continues on the blogs for my ocean sailing adventure book, Sailing to Purgatory, at SailingToPurgatory.com