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Story PathsWriter & Story Worker Helping readers see life through the stained-glass prisms of story, and to recast the glass. Articles, workshops, storytelling, and a rich-audio podcast. Author: Learning to think in stories
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Into Dark Solstice
Tuesday, 16 December, 2025
Into Dark Solstice - A PoemWe have walked down this way before. Along trails hooved by deer’s morphing ancestors, where light-loving leaves give way to moist stone.We crossed these lands an orbit ago, the constellations just a little different, herding us into this shadow valleywhere day’s inbreath grows short, and nights outbreath long, where old calendars exhale completely, dissolving into dream around us. A valley of deepest shadow and reverence for light, when the bright one with whom we brew time is furthest from us, our fingertips barely brushing across the expanse.But now, let us pause in this descent,though we may already yearn to be passing through the valleyand climbing the far slopeand our fingertips to be clasping the bright one’s, then our palmsand on into union.Now, let us make a hearth here on this slope,circle round and share glimpses into the nests of our travel pouchesinto dust-cloaked treasuresgiven, gleamed, borrowed, birthed.From across oceans, home grown,from across constellations, sprouted in soil.As dust riding these treasures gives way to their tastes,may the biome of our heart-minds find creatures thereto wriggle and enrich us,tickle our consciousness. A pause, a breath,then a passing round of the embers who heard all this.For each a gentle red pulse.For each a lantern.May we then tread down into the valleyto join other circles,feel other embers and dusty treasures,and then to be in silence and let the embers go out. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit storypaths.substack.com/subscribe
