Welcome back to the Daily Poem, a podcast from Goldberry Studios. I'm Sean Johnson, and today is Wednesday, December 13th, 2023. It is St. Lucie's Day, and until some calendar reforms at the end of the Middle Ages, today was the shortest day of the year, or the winter solstice.

That date has since been moved to December 21st or 22nd, depending on the year.

And I suspect the arbitrary whims of some scientists somewhere, but that's neither here nor there.

There are a host of lovely poems and moving poems written on about or inspired by St. Lucy's Day.

Not only because of the compelling imagery associated with St. Lucy, her name means, comes from the Latin word for light, Luke's, Lucas.

St. Lucy was martyred. She's also known for carrying food to Christians who were hiding in catacombs and wearing lights in her hair,

candles in her hair, so that both of her hands would be free to carry extra food and supplies to them.

And being the shortest and therefore darkest day of the year,

St. Lucy's Day also appeals to the soul and

instincts of many poets. And because it was so difficult to choose one poem for a day like today,

I have avoided the choice and will be reading three. The first is by contemporary British poet, Elaine

Feinstein, a gifted poet, but also an all-around Renaissance woman. She died just a few years ago.

Her poem is called St. Lucy's Day and is a reflection inspired by the day.

Then I'll read a poem by John Dunn, a nocturnal upon St. Lucy's Day, which is a longer poem about the day itself and the saint who inspired it.

And then finally, a poem from 20th century

writer and monk Thomas Merton entitled A Poem on St. Lucy's Day. Here is Elaine

Feinstein's St. Lucy's Day. The epigraph reads,

4J.H.

We are halfway through the dark time.

They know it in their roots, the winter trees.

What am I working at, an old poet sitting over the keys?

Today, I caught a glimpse of my face in a photograph and made

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