Clock Watching

Five a.m, off to fetch the papers. Passing houses with blue lit bedrooms. Teenagers, gaming, or networking until sleep beckons around eight. If only they knew what they miss- Foxes, a mixture of caution and hunger, Cats, eyes like twin moons, in street lights. A diminished dawn chorus, late on parade. The distant church bell, no longer muffled by grumbling traffic. Dawn's blue ribbon, soon to be soused in a honey sunrise. But, no, they live dark and sleep light, oblivious to time's passing whereas we, in advancing years, well aware of a long darkness ahead, treasure the length of days, feast and gorge on the moment, leaving nothing on the plate at the end of the day. I feel no envy- only gratitude for the gift of awakening. Life leaves me too busy for clock watching.