This month it was Heidi’s turn to pose the challenge for our writing group. Not one to do things by half, she created an elaborate, arrive-in-the-actual-mail, beautiful “12 Days of Yuletide Poetry Prompts”. Wow! She wrote: “My gift to you: a collection of 12 poetry prompts based on the words of my family’s Yuletide tradition. Starting on Dec. 21, the Winter Solstice, we light an additional candle each day which celebrates a “gift of the human spirit.” Pick one that appeals and address it however you like!”
Each day it was like a little gift awaited me, and I had great fun responding to the prompts in my notebook. Today I’m sharing my response to the first prompt for December 21st which was: “Call back the dying sun using 3 repetitions.” I imagined a lofty tone and a lovely, lyrical response. I even started writing that way in my notebook:
Oh, golden orb
whose fading has left fields to fallow
and set green to yield to white
return, we beseech you!
But somehow things went in a different direction.
Beseeching The Sun on the Solstice
Each morning it rises
within me
a dark shadow to match
the dismal grey that’s saturated the sky
in a ceaseless array of somber tones
for seemingly weeks now.
The mounting dread and dismay
at day
after day
after day
with no sun,
no light,
no warmth.
It’s the darkest day now
and it feels like there’s not a ray of hope
If the damn sun
doesn’t come out soon
I’m going to dissolve
into a million glum, sodden clumps
of sorrow and gloom
and rain down on everyone around me
just like the unrelenting drizzle
that’s been permeating the ground
leaving soggy trails of muck that suck
at my feet and bog me
down
down
down
until I whimper and whine
and retreat
to stare out the windows
into the abyss
There’s nothing benign about this relentless,
repressive squash-your-spirits
grey, grey, grey
Sun,
I’m begging you
I’m pleading
I’m down on my knees
Come back!
Come back!
Come back!
©Molly Hogan
As you may surmise, December yielded day after day of no sun in my neck of the woods. No snow either. Just grey drizzle and chill. This is not typical, and let’s just say, I did not weather it with grace. I vacillated between wanting to rant and rave and feeling absolutely depleted and depressed. Writing about it helped a little. Having prompts to ponder everyday was another bright spot. (Thanks, Heidi!)
If you want to see what the other Inklings did with this challenge, click on the links below:
Heidi
Mary Lee
Catherine
Linda
Margaret
This week’s Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Marcie Flinchum Atkins today.
Nix the comfort zone 
That desperate cry at the end…I feel it! I’m down with a cold this weekend. It’s like your poem describes how I’m feeling. Come back energy! Come back sunshine!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I felt a bit desperate! I hope you’re over your cold or at least on the upswing. Illness feels so prevalent these days 😦
LikeLike
In a word: Ohio.
I feel your pain and join you in begging, cajoling, beckoning, beseeching and BEGGING the sun to come back out!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember this about Ohio. Perhaps that’s part of the reason we headed east and then north!
LikeLike
I adore these sun poems! My favorite lines: “I’m going to dissolve
into a million glum, sodden clumps.” Yes! This has captured my feelings so well!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It felt so unfair to have such unrelenting grey when I actually had time to get outside during daylight hours. As you can tell, it still smarts a bit! lol
LikeLike
I was just going to write that my favorite lines were: “a million glum, sodden clumps of sorrow and gloom,” but Marcie beat me to the punch! It certainly captures the gloomy feeling of winter during those gray, bleak days. I am excited for the snow that we are supposed to receive this evening! That should brighten up this place. I hope you get at least a dusting as well!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Since our December greydrizzle fest, we’ve actually had some spots of sun and now I’m thoroughly enjoying a lovely snowfall through my windows. I hope you got some as well!
LikeLike
I can relate to the dreary, sunless days. Your poem captures those feelings of desperation and gloom so well. Thanks for sharing, Molly!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s unusual for us to have such a stretch without sunshine–though sadly, I think it might be becoming more typical. Last spring was another drudge through drizzle…
LikeLike
The snow may be your answer rather than the sun. The grey days are dismal. I imagine more so for areas who are more accustomed to a white Christmas.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The snow definitely adds something to grey scenery! We’re just used to more sunshine than we’ve been having recently. Enjoying the snow flying today as I write this…
LikeLike
I, too, like those threatening “glum, sodden clumps.”
Those 12 Days of Poetry Prompts by Heidi are gorgeous! So glad it brightened your grey drizzle!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was me (Tabatha)
LikeLiked by 1 person
The prompts were definitely a bright spot!
LikeLike
Molly, I’m sorry I missed this earlier–I made my rounds on Friday morning for a change and it wasn’t up when I came looking. As often happens, you’ve made me laugh, and it’s striking that we ALL are having this same grey experience. Your poem is pretty sparkly for a depleted, depressed rant: “rain down on everyone around me
just like the unrelenting drizzle”
So glad you enjoyed your gift of distraction!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heidi–well, you missed it only because it wasn’t there! lol I didn’t manage to post until Saturday morning. I definitely enjoyed the gift of distraction–thanks again!
LikeLike
Molly, it is quite easy to fall into a slump when it is grey outdoors or it is damp and chilly. This weather pattern seems to what is here also. Today, when taking down the Christmas outdoor lights it seemed to be warm but anything feels warm when it moves above freezing. Thanks for the poems and how you processed Heidi’s prompts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The lack of light in general is a hurdle in the winter, Carol, especially being so far east and north. We have so few daylight hours and when they’re consistently grey and drizzly, it can be tough to be upbeat.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m clearly not alone in loving these lines:
If the damn sundoesn’t come out soonI’m going to dissolveinto a million glum, sodden clumpsof sorrow and gloom
🙂
I feel this poem down to my bones!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I actually changed a few key words in these lines several times, and I’m so glad the final revision ended up resonating for people.
LikeLike
Oops, I keep leaving anonymous comments tonight. Doh! That last one was me. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for letting me know! I feel like I’m getting more anonymous comments these days, and I’m not sure if that’s a setting on my blog, people commenting from other devices, or just anonymous commenters!
LikeLike
And I too like, “a million glum, sodden clumps.” Reminds me a bit of Dear poor Eeyore from Winner the Pooh. Oh I can feel the weight of your words, and how I too am lifted by the sun when it graces us. Remember, it’s getting a tad bit lighter each day… Thanks Molly!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, Eeyore! I could definitely relate to him over those consistent rainy vacation days.
LikeLike