A Walk in the Woods

An anonymous quotation reads, "I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees." The original source of that quotation, often attributed to Henry David Thoreau, has not been identified. Below is a haiku of mine based on the anonymous quotation above. The first line of this haiku of mine is exactly quoted from Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau.

I went to the woods

and walked in them. I came out

taller than the trees.

 Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

A Christmas Prayer

O Holy Child of Bethlehem,

Descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin and enter in;

Be born in us today!

We hear the Christmas angels

The great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us,

Our Lord Emmanuel!

--Phillips Brooks (1835-1893)

 

Break Forth, O Beauteous, Heavenly Light

Break forth, O beauteous, heavenly light,

And usher in the morning;

O shepherds, greet that glorious sight,

Our Lord a crib adorning.

This child, this little helpless boy,

Shall be our confidence and joy,

The power of Satan breaking,

Our peace eternal making.

--Johann Rist (1607-1667);

   anonymous English translation from the German 

Winter Solstice (2020)

Winter began with the solstice today at 5:02 A.M. eastern standard time. Here is an untitled poem that American poet Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) wrote about the winter solstice.

These are the days that Reindeer love

And pranks the Northern star --

This is the Sun's objective,

And Finland of the Year.

This poem is in the public domain.

Found Poem from a Letter by Emily Dickinson

A letter from Elizabeth Holland (Mrs. J. G. Holland) to American poet Emily Dickinson and her sister jointly, in 1877, called forth this protest. This is a found poem of mine from Emily's letter to Mrs. J. G. Holland.

A mutual plum is not a plum.

I was too respectful

to take the pulp

and do not like a stone.

Send no union letters.

The soul must go by Death alone,

so, it must by life,

if it is a soul.

If a committee --

no matter.

Source: Letters by Emily Dickinson, selected and edited by Emily Fragos (copyright 2011 by Everyman's Library) 

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (stanza 7)

Every day this week, starting on Advent Sunday, I have posted one of the seven stanzas of the ninth-century Latin hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," a Christian hymn for Advent and Christmas, translated by John Mason Neale (1818-1866). Yesterday I posted stanza 6 of that hymn. Here is the seventh and final stanza of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." To read an article about that hymn, click here.

O come, Desire of Nations, bind

In one the hearts of all mankind;

Bid thou our sad divisions cease,

And be thyself our King of Peace.

          Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

          Shall come to thee, O Israel.