It got cold over the weekend, oh my did it. Bitterly cold, icy cold. Face-hurtingly cold.
And it started with a fairly major snow storm system (the weather prognosticators even named it), which finally covered up the bleh brown and gray thing we’ve had going on since December, so everything is gloriously white and coated with enough ice to shimmer and glint in what little sunlight we’ve had. It’s a slightly inconvenient sight for sore eyes.
I wrote this song a couple years ago after a similar snowstorm/arctic blast that left us all breathless. This time of year can be . . . interesting, yes, we’ll call it interesting. [UPDATE 2022: This year it happened on Solstice night, and they called it Elliott.] We’re about to turn the Wheel of the Year again, with the celebration of Imbolc, sometimes known as Candlemas, or even Groundhog’s Day. The days are lengthening, it’s light until almost 6PM now, which seems way later than 4. And even though you can’t see buds on trees or birds coming back or hibernators popping out to greet her, we know the Maiden is getting ready to ride out in full regalia. We can feel life stirring, sort of like someone moving from deepest sleep to the lighter sleep of morning. I thought it would be appropriate to post this as we contemplate the coming of Spring and the rise of the Unconquered Sun.
Bright blessings of warmth!
Bitter Beauty
The year has turned
And though the Sun’s returning
The cold grips us hard
Without quarter, without mercy
And snow softly lies
Because the Winter King
Still loves the Maiden fair
He’s at his zenith now
And he’s showing us his power
The Air his to command
And the Northern Mother answers
Her pale sprites rise
And twirl in the twilight
Sky as it glows toward the dark
Ah, bitter beauty, sparkle and bite
Left in the wake of the Longest Night
But at the end of the tunnel there is a light
Around and round it goes
He holds on tight
But his grip is getting weaker
He knows this can’t last
So he gets a little meaner
And Death stalks the night
Animals and people
Are escorted to his black and white land
We mourn at the loss
And we wonder and the beauty
And we wait through the dark
For the coming of the Lady
Drawing our chairs
Closer to the fire
We know the Light will triumph in the end
Ah, bitter beauty, sparkle and bite
Left in the wake of the Longest Night
But at the end of the tunnel there is a light
Around and round it goes
Thank you Gayla for your Beautiful Bitter Beauty! It kept me in last Sunday as did the unplowed drive….and I must admit….a couple of football games, a trifecta as it were.
We always ENJOY your Tunage!!!
Blessings,
Reed
We’ll talk soon about a Workshop at Keystone: )
Thank you for your kind words, my friend! Yes! Adventures at Keystone sound great!
Thank you Gayla for “Bitter Beauty”. I love the seasons and how they lead me in and escort me out. Your words are affective and your guitar playing is—-well, I don’t have the words except just beautiful!
Aw, thanks! I love the seasons, except for the extremes. Too hot, too cold, no thanks. But everything in the middle is fantastic. I love the different smells, the different character of the wind, the way the light changes so much during different parts of the year. All of it. But these extremes we’ve created are not at all fun. My hands don’t work when they get too cold.
Gayla, thanks for this gorgeous song, so rhythmic and visual. I loved the cyclical, seasonal feel to it as well as the refrain about “The Light” at the end of the tunnel – but in no way cliche. I’ll pass this on to my friends who will be greatly blessed by it!
Thank you! I’m glad you “resonated” with it! We are definitely heading toward that light now, so close, so close!