Rejuvenation

In the Middle Ages they used wine-

I’d be up for that-

Doused, sated, soaked

Then let the shedding begin.

In Latin it means

To strip off leaves-

It happens naturally to us

Every day, anyway.

But to speed up renewal

Crush almond shells 

and administer to the flesh 

with finger nails.

Then stand in the sun

Where its crepuscular rays

Reflecting skin cells

Scatter light beams.

Like a Monstrance held high

In Exposition or Benediction

Pouring its blessings

Exfoliating you.

Copyright with Cathy Leonard 2018

January

In Dublin National Gallery the Turner Watercolours are on exhibit only for the month of January.
http://www.nationalgallery.ie/en/aboutus/pressroom/Current_Press_Releases/Turner.aspx

Easier to access than Newgrange on the December Solstice, a trip to the exhibition has become an annual pilgrimage for me- to celebrate the new year.

January

Out in the woods I stoop
to pick up sticks that click
underfoot
In the distance a fire thaws
the ice river in me

In the house I see
cobwebs stretched
across rafters
In the distance- scrubbed floors
and the smell of beeswax

In the gallery Turner's water-
colours merge into scapes of sea
and cloud
and mountain slope,
all fused in a January dusk

Outside- the frozen season
canvas by canvas melts
and we stretch
once more
towards Spring

Copyright with Cathy Leonard 2017