Love Stays

Love Stays

A howling wind has stripped us clean

of leaves that once concealed every nest

of feeling—the fear, the anger, each

small bud of hope. Now, bare limbs

clatter against each other this December,

not knowing what to do with this new

exposure, not knowing where to turn.

Yet if we look closer at each tightly

woven bed of twigs no longer hidden

from the world, we find a softer home

inside ourselves where love has come

to stay. No storm of words or shock

of snow can ever send this love away,

which overwinters in us, huddled

beneath feathers that were made

to keep out the cold.


Hard as it is to trust at times, love is what endures. Far more powerful than hate, disappointment, or despair, love stays with us like those birds—the chickadees, finches, juncos and others—who linger through the bitter months of winter, seeking sustenance wherever they can. The holidays are a time of communion and celebration, but for many of us, they also carry the edge of sorrow, as we remember the ones we have lost, and reflect on the fears we may feel for the direction in which our world is heading. When so much cheer seems to fill the air, it can feel isolating and vulnerable to turn toward our grief. Yet as Kahlil Gibran has written: “Joy and sorrow are inseparable . . . together they come and when one sits alone with you . . . remember that the other is asleep on your bed.” The same is true of love, too. When worry or despair descends, love is still present, helping us to stay as resilient as those winter birds, whose feathers are made to keep out the cold, and hold in every ounce of warmth they can find.

Invitation for Writing & Reflection: As you consider the love that stays with you, what images come to mind? In this “stick season,” as we often call winter here in Vermont, what “nests of feeling” are being revealed, and how might you weave these with moments of wonder and joy you encounter as well?

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If you're interested in making a creative commitment in the new year to your writing practice, or just looking to learn more about poetry, consider joining my writing community, The Monthly Pause. January's guest will be Kai Coggin, and we'll share inspiring conversation about poetry, then write together in a supportive, encouraging space. If the monthly cost presents a hardship for you, don't hesitate to contact us and request a scholarship: themonthlypause@gmail.com.

https://www.themonthlypause.com/