Love all the earth,
every ray of God's light,
every grain of sand
and blade of grass,
every living thing.
If you love the earth enough,
you will know the Divine Mystery.
~ Fyodor Dostoevsky
This is the last year.
There will be no other,
but heartless nature
seemingly relents.
Never has a winter sun
spilled so much light,
never have so many flowers
dared such early bloom.
The air is brilliant, sharp.
Never have I taken
such long, long breaths.