Lord, I am smashed with an amber of ale -
Is love of creation five per cent ethanol,
Grinning at night at the end of December?
Diurnal are we, so the light from within
Must illumine enough when daylight is thin
And faces in passing look meager and pale -
Give us the patience enough to remember
The glorious rising that follows our Lent
Of winters so gladness and joy may ferment,
Dregs be forgotten and wonders prevail.
Meanwhile give thanks for the mercy of ale
That loosens the grip of the frost on the soul.
Now out of rhyme are the day and the night
But let the day lengthen and all be delight