Nightfall elongates its bony fingers across the blue sunlit sky
A dismal shadow races towards the horizon,
devouring the sun
while Nature is silenced until morning
The full moon rises as the darkness unfolds
The yard dog slumbers peacefully
While house lights flicker through the heavy drawn curtains
keeping out the cold air, unwelcome guests
Oh wise one, nocturnal creature of the night,
Silhouetted by the darkness watching from your tower of wood,
the world a silent velvet blanket,
Hoo-hoo! – are you the bearer of bad news, an omen or something good
Your large yellow eyes your only movement
blinking, searching the desolate nightscape
for a lone rabbit foraging for food
unaware of unforseen danger
Alert! Attentive! the unmistakeable sound of foraging
draws your attention to the ground below
brittle leaves scratch against bare branches
as you flap your wings and take flight into the deep abyss below
Downward!
Hoo-hoo!
Screeching!
Struggling!
The unsuspecting prey has lost its fight and
you take your post again on your old oak perch
waiting and watching
in the dark obscure night
Savannah, August 2007
