​POETRY  

"As the days slog inexorably on towards
the winter Equinox,
darkness shades more and more of day,"
​
                                     Photo by Weebly.com                                    

December
by Charlene Anderson

​​Now, at the bottom of the year,
dark leaves drop to earth.
Relentless rains tear at and pulverize them,
and they melt, mix/merge with the dark ground
until, not only leafy-matter,
but its very essence—leaf-form--
is gone.
 
As the days slog inexorably on towards
the winter Equinox,
darkness shades more and more of day,
until it seems—like the fallen leaves--
light too will soon be gone, its form likewise
lost to darkness.
 
Darkness clouds and clogs the mind now too.
Feelings, thoughts, wishes even,
grow drowsy, no longer coalesce,
sift senselessly away and,
as light ebbs more and more away,
refuse to even form.
 
At this bleak time, there’s little hope
of dark leaves turning green again,
of light billowing up to drive the dark away,
or of a smoky mind awaking from its darkened reverie
to rekindle thoughts, feelings, even dreams.
Only when the dark year runs its course and ends,
can hope—like time—secure a chance at rebirth,
and even life, again.  

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​​​Soon after she retired from UCSF, a friend told Charlene Anderson about OLLI at SF State and she began taking classes. In 2015, in one of those classes, Mike Lambert suggested starting a literary and photography magazine at OLLI. So, Mike, Charlene and a small group of OLLI members, founded Vistas & Byways. It has been publishing stories, poems and nonfiction pieces, as well as photography, ever since. Charlene is pleased to be part of V&B which provides OLLI members an opportunity to be published. 

Other works in this issue:
Fiction: 
​The Grand Canyon
Poetry:
Pathways
Photo Essay: 
Mostly Full, More-or-Less, Carts

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