Let’s go to the woods. We should go now
because the woods are full of candles,
lit for a celebration. Small flames somehow
pushing up through thick soil, spangles
of red fire on dull brown twigs,
fat green candles, plump and swollen
gasping for life, waiting to be lit.
The woods are burning, green smoke rolling
over the hedgerows, just blurring those
sharp scratched winter lines. The woods are singing,
full of music. Don’t ask me how I know
I just know that we are candles, flinging
light across the space between us, light
that will burn and spread, flames that take flight.
This is for the earthweal prompt – a prompt centering on Imbolc, the start of spring, and all that energy. It’s my own prompt, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how people use it. I’m still wrestling with the sonnet – I think I’m starting to be able to think in sonnets, though I know my use of metre is a bit d
Sarah writes poems 
I love how you’ve made us active instead of passive observers of nature doing its thing. We are candles, or could be, if we wanted to. Peering beneath the snow and becoming a part of what’s going on is a salutary experience.
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I didn’t realize this was a sonnet. It has a nice flow, and like Jane, I like the movement in it.
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So beautiful
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It’s true — the woods are indeed beginning to sing. Beautiful.
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A festival requires a faith, and this is soaked in it, and sees with the heart’s eyes. Spring on the first of February is an act of faith. And yet how gloriously your woods dance before all our eyes. Well done Sarah, the perfect response to your Imbolc challenge. Thanks for taking the reins this week, they are in sure hands. – Brendan
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The woods full of candles waiting to be lit….how wonderful. I love “The woods are singing.” Yes, they are. A wonderful poem and challenge, Sarah.
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Like casting a spell. The earth taking us in and releasing us once again. (K)
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I agree with Jane about including us, making us active in your spring woods, Sarah. I love that the woods are full of candles – a reference to Candlemas, and I always think of snowdrops as being like little waxy candles – and small flames. I also like the immediacy of ‘We should go now’ and the almost breathless list of all the beauty that can be found in the woods, especially the ‘green smoke rolling / over the hedgerows, just blurring those / sharp scratched winter lines’ – gorgeous!
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Interesting point of view from the candles perspective. Their excitement and anticipation gave the reader something to look forward to.
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The woods are burning with life….such a great theme and so well done.
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That image of the green candles reaching for life is so full of hope and fighting spirit: and your conclusion that we are all candles imbued with fighting spirit is just perfect 🔥
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This certainly contains so much light through the idea of us being candles. Its beautiful and certainly a great way to use the sonnet form. Indeed full of hope.
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