'Twas in the moon of winter-time
aka The Huron Carol
[click to hear sung by Chanticleer]
'Twas in the moon of winter-time
When all the birds had fled,
That mighty Gitchi Manitou
Sent angel choirs instead;
Before their light the stars grew dim,
And wondering hunters heard the hymn:
"Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born,
In excelsis gloria."
Within a lodge of broken bark
The tender Babe was found,
A ragged robe of rabbit skin
Enwrapp'd His beauty round;
But as the hunter braves drew nigh,
The angel song rang loud and high:
"Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born,
In excelsis gloria."
The earliest moon of wintertime
Is not so round and fair
As was the ring of glory on
the helpless infant there.
The chiefs from far before him knelt
With gifts of fox and beaver pelt.
Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born,
In excelsis gloria.
O children of the forest free,
O sons of Manitou,
The Holy Child of earth and heaven
Is born today for you.
Come kneel before the radiant boy
Who brings you beauty, peace and joy.
"Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born,
In excelsis gloria."
1926 English translation
by Canadian poet, Jesse Edgar Middleton
based on the 1643 original by Jean de Brebeuf
Tonight is the Full Cold Moon of December, also called the Long Nights Moon when it is the full moon closest to the Winter Solstice, as it is this year. Unfortunately, the sky above my little spot on earth has been overcast every night this week, so I have not had any sightings of what is supposed to be an exceptionally bright full moon, the last and thirteenth (because August had two) full moon of 2012.
All I can do is keep checking the winter sky for a photo op. In the meantime, without boasting, please allow me share these extremely kind words from my friend Burnetta, regarding last month's moon:
The White Moon, The Dark Moon, or The Tree Moon
"The light in Indiana is a little different than the light here in Arkansas.
Kitti’s moons shimmer in bright light, vibrate in the colder northern air,
illuminating the landscape, with other worldly luminosity.
Her tree limbs reach out, touching the people who walk beneath the branches, attempting to alert them: watch out, walk softly, take your time.
Holidays glisten with still life arranged to celebrate the daily beauty.
Vegetables, fruits, flowers, garden implements, goblins, the little things that are taken for granted, until a day when rationality and identification demand that we look on our daily lives as parts of a puzzle, a desire to make sense of senseless life.
What is in a photo that gives us comfort and peace?
The moon, the trees, the things we use and throw away,
The light that is never quite the same."
*******************
My Upcoming Full Moon Calendar for 2013
January (this photo by Ben McCartney)
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
click to see
Full Moons for 2014 ~ "Never Quite the Same"
&
Full Moons for 2015 ~ "Time for a Moondance"
SEE YOU IN TWO WEEKS FOR MY
Next Fortnightly Post
Monday, January 14th
Between now and then, read
THE QUOTIDIAN KIT
my shorter, almost daily blog posts
www.dailykitticarriker.blogspot.com
Looking for a good book? Try
KITTI'S LIST
my running list of recent reading
www.kittislist.blogspot.com
