What Warmth Remains

What warmth remains, hold tight, and press it close!

Though daylight peeks so pale above the crest,

and frozen digits all the earth enclose,

all Light’s yet Light; so hold it to your breast,

and hold on brightness, toward another day!

Have you forgotten? You were not made for

the trembling twilight doubt that cringes so

at worlds unknown, no sooner past the door

than crying out, “Oh, how I’ve lost the way!”

Not this, not this, as you my friend well know.

What warmth remains, hold tight, and press it near!

The winding flame’s not gone, not lost, not out,

and space for Light, for love, for joy’s yet here.

Life’s goodness lives on still, so never doubt;

a home, a friend, a tune for shared singing,

a smile, a twinkle, and birds at their play

(see how they scatter the snow in their dance!),

and what more could any desire today?

That’s no funeral, those bells you hear ringing;

there’s even a space, time yet for romance.

What warmth remains, hold tight, and fan it well!

There’s no balm greater than courage to feel.

Let loveliness say what mouths cannot tell,

and let fall that wall twixt fancy and real.

What dreamers are we, who hold true to Light,

who keep beauty all glowing, truth so free,

and ourselves forgetting for all our friends?

Keep true, oh sweet vision, true to the sight

of all our eyes are not ready to see!

For beauty’s all that remains in the end.