{"id":561,"date":"2026-05-13T16:00:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T21:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/?p=561"},"modified":"2026-05-13T15:42:33","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T20:42:33","slug":"the-waiting-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/2026\/05\/13\/the-waiting-light\/","title":{"rendered":"The Waiting Light"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes the most powerful act is keeping the lights lit so someone can see their way home.<\/em><\/p>\n

One drop, two drop, three drops, four
\nDrops of rain upon the door,
\nDrops of rain in bitter cold
\nAs hope itself is growing old.<\/p>\n

Old though hope can ever grow
\nThe cut of day comes swift to show
\nA drop of rain upon the door
\nPrecedes the boat\u2019s return to shore.<\/p>\n

In stormy skies, through stormy seas
\nThe vessel sails through angry lees
\nTo the light the brings them home:
\nA lantern set before they roamed.<\/p>\n

Even so, through forest grim
\nA candle set by window trim
\nBrings the hunter home once more
\nTo his own abiding door.<\/p>\n

Do not lightly cast hope aside
\nThough days be long and cares deride.
\nA single light my show the way
\nTo weary souls at cut of day.<\/p>\n

The Waiting Light<\/em> copyright \u00a9 Heather Strickler 2026 all rights reserved<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes the most powerful act is keeping the lights lit so someone can see their way home. One drop, two drop, three drops, four Drops of rain upon the door, Drops of rain in bitter cold As hope itself is growing old. Old though hope can ever grow The cut of day comes swift to… Read More The Waiting Light<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":562,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[14,13],"tags":[26,21,29,23,20,11,25],"class_list":["post-561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poetry","category-writing","tag-duty","tag-faith","tag-family","tag-light","tag-mood","tag-poetry","tag-wonder"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/The-Waiting-Light.jpg?fit=600%2C600","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/parUcj-93","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":460,"url":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/2025\/10\/15\/coming-of-dawn\/","url_meta":{"origin":561,"position":0},"title":"Coming of Dawn","author":"Heather","date":"October 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A bit more of a hopeful one than has come to me lately. I hope you enjoy. Out of the black woods comes the sun The night is over the day begun. The battle fought to victory A time of mourning then joy will be. The ash tree sheds a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/category\/writing\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ComingDawn.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ComingDawn.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ComingDawn.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":555,"url":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/2026\/05\/06\/final-cut\/","url_meta":{"origin":561,"position":1},"title":"Final Cut","author":"Heather","date":"May 6, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In my Blackwood world, the creation myth (which is another poem here: Blade of Dawn) involves the first dawn being literally cut from the darkness. And in that world in Albion they speak of life being woven. So death is the final cut, the complete tapestry for this world looking\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/category\/writing\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Final-Cut.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Final-Cut.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Final-Cut.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":507,"url":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/2025\/12\/08\/blade-of-dawn\/","url_meta":{"origin":561,"position":2},"title":"Blade of Dawn","author":"Heather","date":"December 8, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A little mythology from one of my worlds. I hope you enjoy. The first word spoken was a blade It cut the second and dawn was made In the rising light the truth unfurled Showing what became the world. A world of silence, no voice yet sang Where all creation\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/category\/writing\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Blade-of-Dawn.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Blade-of-Dawn.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Blade-of-Dawn.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":390,"url":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/2025\/05\/07\/gates-of-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":561,"position":3},"title":"Gates of Light","author":"Heather","date":"May 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Something I hope brightens your day. Gates above now shining down Look on me and show your crown. The keeper stands and guards the door While shadows throng up to its shore. Hearts lift up to hope and more Take the joy that they implore. The fire of hope lights\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/category\/writing\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Gates-of-Light.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Gates-of-Light.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Gates-of-Light.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":516,"url":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/2025\/12\/19\/wardens-song\/","url_meta":{"origin":561,"position":4},"title":"Warden’s Song","author":"Heather","date":"December 19, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"This is set to a jauntier tune in my head than perhaps it should be. In any event I hope you enjoy this little monster hunting song. The foe is waiting for us and we shall track him down Before he brings his terrors to another simple town. Ride we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/category\/writing\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Wardens-Song.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Wardens-Song.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Wardens-Song.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":504,"url":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/2025\/12\/05\/unspin-the-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":561,"position":5},"title":"Unspin the Light","author":"Heather","date":"December 5, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A bit of hope for your day. Unspin the light into the sky. Raise your voices far and nigh. Cup your hand to catch the dawn And name your mem\u2019ry in a song. Hold your soul to reflect the day A hope that will not pass away Even though the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/category\/writing\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Unspin-the-Light.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Unspin-the-Light.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Unspin-the-Light.jpg?fit=600%2C600&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/561","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=561"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/561\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":563,"href":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/561\/revisions\/563"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/562"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreaminginplot.com\/MainBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}