The Misty Horizon: A Poem for A New Year

I wrote this poem a year ago, on January 1 2024… it is fitting that I publish it here at the onset of a new year.

There is much that I draw from with this poem. When writing it, I thought of the time when I was coming out of being bed-ridden and the whole world was opening up to me. It was a scary but exciting time. I was reading The Lord of the Rings at the time. I remember sitting on my bed gazing northwards towards the hills surrounding the Yarra Valley, the view from our house, on the horizon, and feeling something similar to the thoughts and feelings I express in this piece. As I wrote this poem, I thought, not just of those hills, but also of the vast snowcapped mountains of the South Island of New Zealand, my magical enchanted homeland. I draw also from The Lord of the Rings in this piece, with the imagery of facing the dragon and dangers in particular. With the friend in the second verse, I was thinking of dear old Sam Gamgee and the friends I’ve had who have walked through hard things with me.

I thought these lyrics were timely ones to be written on January 1st. We literally stand on the verge of a new year, gazing out towards the misty horizon (misty because we can’t see so far ahead) before us, wondering what lies ahead, excited at the thought of new worlds to explore and adventures to be had. The realistic realisaton that the journey will be tough, we will face storms and dragons, and while we take time to grieve, with “Sam” by our side (let us never need to walk alone) we can overcome them. And then, of course, at the end, I bring in the Christian element of sunshine and safety and life evermore, when the journey, at the end, is done.

Away to the northward I stand and I gaze

Magic mountains before me, where snow wist to play

And I wonder within me what lies beyond

As I gaze out upon the vast horizon.

And I gaze on the misty horizon

With wistful longing teary I stand

And I dream of the horizon

Of what lies before

New worlds to explore

As adventures of yore

Bravely I step out into the horizon.

He comes alongside me and clasps tight my hand

I’m going with you and I’ll be your friend

Together we’ll explore whate’re lies before

As we journey out across the vast horizon.

And we gaze on the misty horizon

A song in our hearts excited we stand

And we dream of the horizon

Of what lies before

New worlds to explore

As adventures of yore

Together we step out into the horizon.

Away to the northward the wind blows in gails

We’ll walk through dark storms, and we’ll walk through the hail

Together, fierce dragons indeed can be slain

We will face them far beyond the dark horizon.

And we gaze upon the misty horizon

With tears in our eyes together we stand

We will grieve on the horizon

We shall overcome

We shall see the sun

In its rays we will run

When we’re safe ‘ore there beyond the horizon.

Copyright Caitlin Mullon 1 January 2024