Reindeer kneel in snowbanks far away;
Polar bears sleep on ice in northern twilight.
Here, the white bells of the manzanita
Have already awakened, and pink primroses,
Sweeter than dawn, grace our days.
On a long and generous afternoon,
Wild pigeons feed beneath the redwoods,
And high in her unseen retreat,
The dove calls in a voice softer
Than the kiss of holy water
Or a kind thumb’s touch
With healing oil.
Her carol harkens us to something
Lost in winter’s dream—
The scent of myrrh under a dark pine,
The fragrance of frankincense
And the circle of golden light
A single candle can create.

Rose Anna Higashi is a retired professor of literature and creative writing. Her published works includes her poetry journal, Blue Wings and recent poems in Agape Review, the Ekphrastic Review and other outlets. Her work can be found at myteaplanner.com.