(For Earthlings, especially those born on the summer solstice…
in the northern hemisphere)

Let us tilt ourselves sunward
then, we northerners,
celebrating more hours
of light than dark, the sun
chugging along its
highest path through
the sky,

mindful that our southern
neighbors on the planet
are turning their faces
into the shortest day
of the year, the sun’s lowest
path through the sky—

each solstice a stoppage,
when the sun appears
to pause as if to consider,
if not all the planets,
perhaps this one blue
marble that humans call
home,

some of us lifting our faces
into so much gushing brightness,
some of us hunkering down
in the dark, waiting for the light
to return.

•••

Solargraph photo by Bret Culp / recording the sun’s path over time

“A solargraph is a long-duration pinhole photograph that records the sun’s repeated movement across the sky. It is usually made with photographic paper placed inside a simple camera and left in one position for an extended period. The resulting image often shows multiple solar arcs, along with interruptions caused by cloud cover, weather, and seasonal change.”
—Bret Culp