Greening

 The Greening

The Greening.

December cold moon 

wanes and waxes,

sharp edged as ice

like a peephole cut 

in the night sky

she looks into 

a realm of pure light

casting her long shadows 

across the frosted glass ground

scribbled by bare black branches.

Above the diamond lit stars, 

below the glittering snows, 

reminders both that even 

the darkest of winter days 

gives way at last to dawn.

Now the night of greening comes 

as in defiance of the cold and dark 

the forest is foraged for the gift of life 

hidden in its grey sleeping hills. 

Comes forth the ivy, 

in her tenacity and strength!

Comes forth the holly,

bright berried and blood blessed!

Comes forth the red Rowan,

long mountain born!

Comes forth the Fir Tree, 

in her verdant mantle!

Now nature once again 

hallows the halls 

of consecrated stone, 

illuminating the cloisters 

and the advent purpled apse 

as scribes once warmed 

the word with colour.

Leaf and branch and winter fruit 

gathered and laid as offerings

bringing life and warmth 

into the place of peace, 

clothing the Advent wreath 

and its singing people 

in circling sanctuary! 

Lighting our longing 

we lay them for 

our Saviour evergreen 

who brought forth 

the new Spring

in the libation of his bright blood 

upon the old earth, 

in the divine seed planted 

upon the rocky skull,

there overcoming the old

sin-wintered death’s stroke at our roots, 

He grafts us to Himself anew

our Advent Adam, binding the knot 

in swaddling, and breathing 

new blessing over the earth,

as with His holy birth 

a breeze from summerlands 

hits hard and drives back 

the cold and dark!

He the true source of our verdant life,

a root renewed, 

a shoot green and bursting,

born from a thornless Rose 

that blooms this Winter night,

blessed beneath the whitest snow,

as now the greening comes again.

Traditionally the evening of December the 16th was the day of the Greening of the Church when people brought branches and fruits from the  forests to decorate the Churches, monasteries and holy wells to prepare for the Christmas Feast...