winter compline john paul davis Night is the world turning its face away from light; Winter is earth throwing back its head. We did not choose the coming frost and darkness but no one need swallow midnight or wear the cold moon's clothes. Choose with me instead to look for light, navigate by the stars, hold each other for warmth. Thieves and liars may govern us but what they abdicate returns to us so charity and truth belong to us now. Let's make gifts of them and ourselves to the world. Let's be shepherds, put our ears to earth to hear the deep heartbeat, Wait in the cold for bright wings to crack the window of night, practice our singing for the night of celebration when night begins to bleed and light is born.