In the New Year

Be patient, and trust

that in Spring the sap will rise again,

and once replenishment begins,

this thick skin that you’ve cultivated

to protect you from the storms

will no longer be enough

to contain the hope that grows in you,

and will begin to peel away.

That slow excruciating tearing

redeems itself

by carrying away the scars

of old cuts you once endured;

will leave you fragile, vulnerable, glowing;

overflowing with new life.

Each stage has its discomfort:

the constraints and constrictions of winter

give way to the defenselessness of spring.

Soon you’ll begin again to dread

the painful severing of autumn —

even summer aches with anticipation.

Diane Walker

Diane Walker is a poet, artist, and actress living in the Northwest.

To view her work, visit www.contemplativephotography.com.