1937 NEW YEAR GREETING

The earth feels old tonight 

And we who live and stand on the cold rim 

Face a new year. 

It is raining everywhere 

As if the rain were mercy, 

As if the rain were peace, 

Peace falling on our hair. 

Open your hearts tonight, let them burn! 

Let them light a way in the dark. 

Let them one by one affirm there is hope for a staff: 

I say it will flower in our hands, 

We shall go garlanded. 

There is the fine fresh stuff of faith for a coat: 

We shall go warm. 

We shall go on by the light of our hearts. 

We shall burn mightily in the new year. 

We shall go on together. 

O you who stand alone on the rim of the earth and are cold, 

I salute you here! 

May Sarton's 1937 New Year's Greeting

© Copyright, 1937, May Sarton.
All Rights Reserved. Printed By Permission.