Happy Solstice & Welcome to Day One of the 12 Days of Solstice Poetry Challenge 2021!

One of my favorite things to do on the Winter Solstice is walk around outside in the snow and watch how light creates a mix of sparkle and shadow–all those shadows making the reflections of light all the more brilliant. This year, we’ve yet to have a significant snowfall here in Santa Fe, but I will spend time outside, watching the shadows and the play of light on all the beautiful dry grasses. Apparently this year, it’s my turn to bring the sparkle! So that is your first prompt for this year’s poetry challenge: SPARKLE.

And here’s the poem that the SPARKLE prompt brought out in me…

SPARKLE

Sun doesn’t care how long it hangs in the sky–
Participation counts in
Acrobatic aerial cosmology.
Remember this—no matter the season, you are the
Kite ready for the next updraft, born to
Loft through the sky, embrace every breeze
Even in solstice’s soft, fleeting light.

A quick note: I wrote an acrostic poem, meaning that the first letter of each line spells out the prompt word. I did that because I enjoy writing acrostics and will greedily grab any excuse to do so. But your poem can be anything you like–a haiku, rhymed couplets or totally nonsensical, free verse vamping. Write short, write long, write whatever appeals to you. This challenge has no rules. My only wish is that you have fun letting words, sounds and images tumble through you and onto the page!

If you’d like to share what you’ve written, please feel free to add your poem as a comment — here or on my Facebook page where this prompt will also be posted.

Enjoy this blessed day, and I’ll see you on Day Two!

Barbara