I will raise my glass this winter solstice to mountain journeys and faithful dogs,

to the dark green of spruce and fir forest,
to the wild call of the mountain chickadee,
to grizzlies walking through the night,
to the clear reflection in high country lakes,
to the beauty and freedom and magnificence of wilderness adventure.

And I will spend this longest night in a Saturday Night dance hall,
keeping the two step beat with pretty ladies,
in celebration and life hold them in my arms
and twirl them to a honky tonk fiddle,

to get a glimpse of the same beauty of nature
in their smile,
to see a hint of the mystery of wilderness
in their eyes.