Animal gone to ground, be still
Embrace the sacred hush
The gray is long and velvet-sweet
And you have wounds to heal, rest to keep
There will be a time for wildness — not yet
Now, let the earth receive its chilly baptism
Be swathed in slowing heartbeats
Discover, one dreaming epiphany at a time,
The subtle glory of slumber
Animal gone to ground, be still
Slip wondrously into sleep
And never believe, not for an instant,
That it’s better to be awake
Song for Wintering
Kaitlyn Bancroft is a reporter in Salt Lake City, Utah. Former and forthcoming publication credits include Hole In The Head Review, Tiny Seed Literary Journal, Agape Review, The Ocotillo Review, The Dread Machine, Bez & Co., Fleas on the Dog, and The Ana. Follow her work on Twitter @katbancroft or on Instagram @katbancroftreports.