on the eve of winter solstice

"You, darkness, that I come from 
I love you more than all the fires 
that fence in the world,
for the fire makes a circle of light for everyone 
and then no one outside learns of you.

But the darkness pulls in everything-
shapes and fires, animals and myself,
how easily it gathers them! 
powers and people

and it is possible a great presence is moving near me.

I have faith in nights."

- Rainer Maria Rilke

snapshot from my evening stroll