Finland: A walk in the land of Ice

When the ice crunches under my feet, every step sounds like music to my ear.

Finland: A day in the heart of winter

"When winter first begins to bite

and stones crack in the frosty night,

when pools are black and trees are bare,

'tis evil in the Wild to fare."

Finland: Christmas in Finland

"Joulu kuulostaa kulkuselta.

Joulu tuntuu pumpulilta.

Joulu maistuu piparilta

tai namuselta

tai mantelilta."

Finland: A Rose to you Mother Earth.

"I sit beside the fire and think

of all that I have seen

of meadow-flowers and butterflies

in summers that have been;

Of yellow leaves and gossamer

in autumns that there were,

with morning mist and silver sun

and wind upon my hair.

I sit beside the fire and think

of how the world will be

when winter comes without a spring

that I shall ever see.

For still there are so many things

that I have never seen:

in every wood in every spring

there is a different green.

I sit beside the fire and think

of people long ago

and people who will see a world

that I shall never know.

But all the while I sit and think

of times there were before,

I listen for returning feet

and voices at the door."

Haukankierros, Nuuksio.