“The Dark Leans In”, for d’versepoets

“Sunset”, Jane Kohut-Bartels, watercolor, 2008

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The Dark Leans In

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The dark leans in, cool and necessary.

The wind lessens, quiets the

hambone frenzy of wind chimes.

They ceased their cacophony,

Letting   birds this  night

test their dusk-calls,

unsure of voices muted

by the silence of season past.

 

Off in the distance a lone train whistle

perhaps the last train home

Before night blackens the earth.

It will need a fat moon to brighten its tracks….

 

 

How silent the night!

Now given to owls,

Piteous cries of mourning doves

And the rustle of something

In the tall weeds,

Something mysterious–

But probably not.

 

The night is the territory of creatures

With night vision and silent flights,

Of owls with upturned  wings,

Silent, silent, deadly drones

Red eyes like burning coals

And talons like razors.

A banshee scream of hunter

And the resounding cry of prey.

 

No man walks about the dark,

No one would without fear

Knowing what is given by nature is not

On par with the lowliness creature of this dark.

 

Only the slight babble of the brook,

The brook that fears no rocks

Or fallen limbs or anything except drought

Makes the push to daylight where we

Are sure of our place,

Our courage renewed.

 

The night belongs to other species

As the dark leans in, cool and necessary

The wind picks up, rattles leaves beneath  feet

And we turn our steps towards a world

Of  less mystery.

 

Jane Kohut-Bartels

Copyrighted, 2016

Tags: "The Dark Leans In", d'versepoets pub, poetry