How do we face the dark? As we meet these darker days, it’s a powerful time to explore our relationship with darkness. This is the final track on DARK PRAISE, a spoken-word album on endarkenment–exploring the ways the dark nourishes us. The track, and the whole album, are available on Spotify, Apple Music, or anywhere you listen to music. You can also purchase the album to support its makers on Bandcamp.
Poetry by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
Music by Steve Law
Art by Marisa S. White, “Grace & Gravity”
Video by Tony Jeannette
To Face the Dark
To face the dark,
one does not need a light.
Nor does one need a watch,
a feather, a melody, a sword, a pen.
One doesn’t even need a friend.
To face the dark,
one needs only to face the dark.
There is something easier then
about the facing, when we know
we need no preparation.
Nothing is asked of us except
the willingness to face the dark,
the willingness to pause
in that moment when we
cannot see, cannot know,
cannot float on the sea of habit,
cannot fly on the feathers of routine.
But already, I’ve taken this too far.
It’s so simple, the invitation,
that it’s easy to miss what is asked.
Not a journey. Not even a step.
Just the chance to face the dark,
to meet yourself in that facing—
and to notice what being erased
and what’s doing the erasing.
A wonderful poem, Rosemerry. It speaks to the darkness within us all.
the essential dark … thank you, dear Kaye
One cannot prepare except for willingness. If I may say, the claims of your poem have both merit and relevance. The line “cannot float on the sea of habit,” as an observation, is created in such a way as to speak directly to me.
thank you so much for this affirmation–I love hearing that you feel it, too
Always brilliant, and especially so this time.
I couldn’t be happier that your works are floating far and wide into this world ~ such value for every reader!
thank you, Ana! I just love how Tony makes these videos come to life … thanks for your encouragement–I am so grateful!
Actually I am prevented by inner direction from watching any video presentations right now, so I was in this case speaking only of you, my dear.
ahhhh … well, thank you. and I am inspired by your inner direction and ability to listen to that deeply intelligent, wise voice
Thank you in return! 🙏