Happy Solstice everyone! It not only is the first day of winter but is a big deal up here because tomorrow we start gaining daylight. Officially the sun rose at 10:58am today and set at 2:37pm. and even when it is up it is just above the horizon glowly weakly. It isn't very motivating, and though life goes on here even though it is in the dark, I think every Alaskan does "hibernate" in a way. I try to remind myself that we are the Cosmic Canines, think of all that time under the stars. And at least we aren't above the Arctic Circle, they haven't seen the sun at all since some time in November, and won't see it again until sometime in January. I went to a bonfire last night to celebrate and will go on a night run tonite (gee what are the chances) with the dogs. I thought I would share a poem I wrote a long time ago about the Winter Hexagon, which is a group of constellations that are very prominent in the Winter Sky. If you would like to check out a star chart mapping the WInter Hexagon. CLICK HERE
WINTER HEXAGON
It twas the 21st of December
I kneeld to poke the burning embers
To strengthen the only lamp
Of this remote forest camp
Where my dogs and I stopped for the night
The fire cast its weary light
Chased by my tired eye
On things around me lie
It was a startling observation
My surroundings resembled the constellations
There across the river's way
Which on top milky ice lay
Awaits my sled, my arctic chariot
Where the star Capella aught fit
Next to which seemingly from the same cone
For so akin they had grown
Stood two spruce trees dignified
Where should the twins Gemini
There's my small lanky husky
Which silent drinks the river's tea
That through rocks and pebbles steeped
Now through a hole in the ice it seeps
The other dog gazes at me with eyes of blue
The larger more serious of the two
In a monent 4 ears perk
For into camp something lurked
I turn my gaze past my snowshoes where
Earlier I had seen a hare
I kept turning full 180 around
Till a bull moose my eyes found
There for a moment silent he stood
And then turned a disappearred into the wood
I thought long to wonder why
This animal had not been shy
I figured he came to represent Aldebaran
Solely to complete my Winter Hexagon
So to complete this stellar riddle
Leaves me like Betelguese in the middle
To this thought the night became colder
Because I don't have Orion's shoulder
On which to rest my tired head
For miles away is the homestead
It twas the 21st of December
I kneeld to poke the burning embers
To strengthen the only lamp
Of this remote forest camp
Where my dogs and I stopped for the night
The fire cast its weary light
Chased by my tired eye
On things around me lie
It was a startling observation
My surroundings resembled the constellations
There across the river's way
Which on top milky ice lay
Awaits my sled, my arctic chariot
Where the star Capella aught fit
Next to which seemingly from the same cone
For so akin they had grown
Stood two spruce trees dignified
Where should the twins Gemini
There's my small lanky husky
Which silent drinks the river's tea
That through rocks and pebbles steeped
Now through a hole in the ice it seeps
The other dog gazes at me with eyes of blue
The larger more serious of the two
In a monent 4 ears perk
For into camp something lurked
I turn my gaze past my snowshoes where
Earlier I had seen a hare
I kept turning full 180 around
Till a bull moose my eyes found
There for a moment silent he stood
And then turned a disappearred into the wood
I thought long to wonder why
This animal had not been shy
I figured he came to represent Aldebaran
Solely to complete my Winter Hexagon
So to complete this stellar riddle
Leaves me like Betelguese in the middle
To this thought the night became colder
Because I don't have Orion's shoulder
On which to rest my tired head
For miles away is the homestead
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