Days End

Strolling through the dark woods night approaching as the sun sets the shadows were now lengthening casting weird shapes on the floor Birds pass on their way to roost all are now settling for the night squabbles from the rooks over perches rabbits emerging from burrows to eat This pause between daytime and night soon the rabbits will be joined by badgers coming out to forage and play night jar starts to sing a real din Later there will be such sweet sounds as the nightingales songs ring out for now this twilight stands in between a world of half light neither day or night Sweet scent of night stocks fill the air as I sit on an old log drinking it in a shadow detaches from the beech trees a fallow deer on her way to the river Now the daylight has completely gone the moon has yet to show its face a hoot carries through the dark the owls glide past searching for prey I sigh as the stars appear above each one twinkling pinpicks of light the sky a canvas on which they shine at last the moon glides into view Another day is finally over and done it is time for me too to head off home carrying with me memories of this time closing the door I shut out the darkness