December 31: Mount Battie star

The whole town hiked up

for the last star lighting--

here, we value beauty.

 

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December 30: Nocturne

How bright the one star

visible before dawn

out the bathroom window.

 

 

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December 29: Amaryllis

Amaryllis bud
swelling, straining sunward--
so this is love.

December 28: Taking down the Christmas tree

Holiday's packed up.

Fir needles will resurface

for the next twelve months.

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December 27: Camden Harbor ducks

Ducks grab stale Christmas bread

doled out by children

just learning to share.

 

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December 26: Plum Island

Where waves meet sand

instead of sandpipers

wind-skitter of dead leaves.

 

 

 

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December 25: Christmas, Marblehead

Christmas Day--

the full tide brings its gift

to the rocky shore.

 

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December 24: Christmas Eve

While the kids are still awake

we eat the cookies

that weren't left for Santa.

 

 

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December 23: Cat grass

Basket of cat grass--

to the happy, chewing cat

it tastes of summer.

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December 22: Some nights

What brings warmth some nights
is simple: dish-washing,
cat's fur, mac and cheese mix.

December 21: Starry night

Winter Solstice--

Orion on the horizon;

many candles shine too.

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December 20: Christmas Bird Count

My husband and I spent the day birding "our" section of the Thomaston-Rockland Christmas Bird Count, a Christmas season tradition which we've been sharing together for 17 years--14 of them in this section.

Flock of bluebirds--
of course they bring happiness
Winter Solstice eve

December 19: Paper whites

In the candlelit window
long stems of paper whites
graceful ghosts

December 18: Under Jupiter's bright watch

Driving home late--
what looks like animal's eyes
turns into a beer can.

December 17: What's underneath it all

After dark the mice
feet whispering in the basement
keepers of secrets

December 16: Kingfisher

Unfrozen quarry,

snowfall--lone kingfisher rattles,

plumbs the black depths.

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December 15: December sunrise

Spent the day birding the beaches, salt marshes, and nearby neighborhoods of Ogunquit and Wells for the York County Christmas Bird Count. We began the day with a beautiful sunrise over the ocean at Moody Point, where dozens of sandpipers twinkled at the edge of the chilly surf...

 

Sunrise over the beach--

at the sandy edge

one frozen raspberry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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December 14: Sunday in a small town

While we watch the game

neighbor knocks to ask

whose chickens in her yard.

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December 13: Hazy shade of winter

Snowing in the pass--
in the old horse pasture
turkeys forage, unfazed.

December 12: Revelation

Morning, parting clouds--
only the highest ridgeline
covered now with snow

December 11: Girls' night out

How do sharks mate?

Women talking together

on a rainy night.

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December 10: Dreaming

Such strange and vivid dreams last night. I woke thinking of Jung and his theories about the interpretation of dreams, what dreams about walking around in a house mean...

 

Asleep in my cocoon

I dreamt of a new house.

My soul, awake, wanders.

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December 9: Torrents

A hard rain--

the sky falls with conviction,

soaks through to my skin.

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December 8: Holiday spirit

Day before a storm--

huddled over the heater,

humming the Nutcracker.

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December 7: Christmas lights

In Portland this afternoon to see the Nutcracker and enjoy some dumplings at Empire. The Christmas tree in Monument Square is lit; the sign on the Time & Temperature building is flashing: 20 (degrees) / BUY / LOCL; holiday lights festoon Congress St. A season of lights in the darkness.

 

Street lights, Christmas lights...

Moon rising over the bay

makes us say, "Oh! Look!"

 

 

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December 6: Dark

Dystopic movie--

we leave the dark theatre,

enter night's long tunnel.

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December 5: Cold

Snow-scrapped, moonlit yard.

Inside I surround myself

with bowls of paper whites.

 

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December 4: Moon over the bay

Waxing moon lays a path

across the bay--

my escape route.

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December 2: In the dark

driving in the dark
you share the horror movie's plot
don't stop the car

December 1: Owl daydreams

Sixty-degree day
but in this snowy, seaside field
I still look for owls.