(special thanks to James McGowan for these photos, taken in Russia and Armenia, he is a friend who also contributed photos for my book A LIFE OF RAVENS)Shroud of mist upon
An ancient monastery
Remnant of faith
Watches over the steppe
Where the winds roam
And snow covers the plains
Cold and seemingly lifeless
But for those who remain
Full of life and vigor
Tears of joy and pain
The memories linger
But the ghosts scatter
When a child laughs
And the memories brighten
When day comes at last
But in the mists of winter
When the afternoon light is short
The shadows cast long
And hearths churn smoke
And ash and cinder
To help the living stay warm
