Renaissance (first of 2020)

soundcloud.com/nordicblackbird/renaissance

The very first poem of this new decade, as recorded and posted in SoundCloud.

January has begun to wane already – we are about to burn a (replica) Viking longship in Lerwick, as about a thousand torches will shine in our Northern night tomorrow (Tuesday) evening… All this to celebrate the return of the Sun.

Renaissance appears very apt for this time of year.

Just click on the link below the picture.

Enjoy, dear reader/listener. 🙂

Voilà

At last the raven glowed for the last time against the wall for the 2010s.

First and foremost, let me wish you, dear Reader, a great new year and – should our stars wish it – a much more positive (than anticipated) decade ahead… Of course, brand new pages are yet to be written, and the “now” must be fully lived as the most important since “tomorrow” never comes.

The island has been a wonderful shelter away from all the tumult south…

It has heaved hopes, made as well as it unmade dreams come true.

As some footprints vanished from the sand, others appeared… Yet, among the tears and smiles this past decade generated, the island gave me a definite sense of hame (home).

It has taught me crisis, resilience, and the will to rebuild the deeper self through time, love and words.

Achievement and the sheer sense to surmount whatever that past decade threw at my face has made me stronger. The dreamer (visionary) allowed the poet to pen and perform – da peerie lass to smile again when she was scared and let the woman flourish again.

I love that quote from the great NI man:

It makes complete sense.

That past decade took my heart to amazing places and made me tread on uncharted lands… Even made me learn new tongues and discover other cultures. It opened my eyes and heart and made me taste sour & sweet… Isn’t it what life is all about?

This low boreal sun always gives me a sense of determination and will to shine.

Creative wise, the final year of that same decade proved both productive and fun, with continued invitations to well established local events very close to my heart, including Shetland Singer-songwriters, Soul Time and Shetland Arts’ Celebration of Shetland Writing, as WordPlay was put in limbo this year…

But then,

the past decade ended with a fresh twinkle in one’s eye.

The change of world of my final feline companion at the end of last summer made me wander through the void- the nothing and some dark lands – until Saoirse appeared in early December (!) and signalled a new dawn on my island.

She was fostered in Toogs and found herself starting a new life two islands away. She joined on the last Sunday before Yule and has made da hoose her, wir hame.

And as we wandered across the winter solstice, candles and shared love keep us bright inside.

A new decade has just begun.

Barely two days. So many blank pages before my heart and pen; new adventures and slices of life to be explored.

Let’s pick it up from now, and see the many paths ahead.

As Lewis said it so evocatively.

Happy New Year,

Bonne et heureuse année,

Godt nyttår

and let the stars guide us.