The sestina is a form of six lines per stanza, each ending in a different word. There are six stanza's for 36 lines with a three line tercet at the end. for a total of 39 lines. The end words are repeated in each stanza and all six are used in the ending tercet. The last word of a stanza becomes last word of the first line in the next stanza.

Sestina for Yule

Tonight we build blazing bonfires
With mead and wine we toast the night
With song and dance we face the cold
Skalds and Bards tell us the stories
As we cluster close in the dark
Our hero follows the white stag

Though the land of endless night
Where winter rules with ice and cold
So he travels in the story
On they pass through the clutching dark
Hero quest-hunt the stealthy stag
With spear, and bow, and torch of fire

The hero travels through the cold
Who will now record his history?
Who will lead him through endless dark?
As stumbles pale and dying stag
To sleep beside the hero’s fire
Witnessed by the starry night

Now come to the wonder story
In the depth of the longest dark
The dying spark of sun-god stag
Renewed by the hunter’s fire
Surrounded by the hungry night
Chilled to death by clutching cold

Hope reborn in smothering dark
Frolicking with the youngling stag
Singing, dancing about the fire
Celebrate end of growing night
Promise of warmth to follow cold
Skalds and Bards so tell the story

With wine and mead we toast the stag
We sing and dance around the fire
Remember day will follow night
With rosy cheeks we face the cold
In our hearts we keep the story
As we now face the long, long dark

In the long dark and winter cold
Build your bright fire to light the night
Within your heart keep stag and story