Saturday, September 3, 2016

Just Before Dawn



The dawn is peeping a red and ribald eye
over the mountain.
No one is awake.
The morning birds will not yet sing.
The sleepy valley is still nestled
in the arms of night.

But out in the meadow,
in the mist rising up from the icy fields,
a young doe is dancing lightly
on her tiny hooves.
An elven chorus, murmurous,
is chanting in the veld,
and the skybirds awaken, 
all a-flutter.
In a feathered heap,
they tumble out of the trees.

To witness this magic,
you must arise
just before dawn,
and disguise yourself
as a shrub.


one from 2014, shared with the Poetry Pantry at Poets United.

23 comments:

  1. Indeed it is those moments before dawn that are magical. Very few are witness to the beauty one can behold in those moments. But, for some reason, disguising oneself as a shrub makes me smile!

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  2. Very magical! (Yes, I too giggled a bit at the end. It's such a delightful fancy.)

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  3. from the dawn's ribald eye to the being in a shrub-disguise...so delightful..

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  4. Wonderful - what we can see if we just stay silent... It's one thing we can learn from hunters.

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  5. Love this, Wild Woman of my heart! The things we can witness, if we stand still and let Nature show us all her beauties.

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  6. First thing in the morning I look as if I have been dragged backwards through a shrub.

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  7. Just love the mood.. I wish now I was a shrub listening to the elven chorus...beautiful!

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  8. I agree but I think they noticed our binoculars!

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  9. in the mist rising up from the icy fields, a young doe is dancing lightly
    on her tiny hooves... sigh :D that must be such a magical sight ❤

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  10. From the dancing doe to pretending to be a shrub - you had me smiling..what a warm awakening..

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  11. and disguise yourself
    as a shrub.

    Chuckles, Hank likes that, Yes!

    Hank

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  12. Hahaha! For this glory, I will disguise myself as a shrub happily. I want to see sun open her eye and my fellow creatures waken as well. SUch a beautiful poem. My new favorite!

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  13. I love those red skies in morning!

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  14. That very last line struck me, Sherry... disguised as a shrub. Such an image!

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  15. OK... I have been many things but never a Shrub. I'll give it a try :)
    ZQ

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  16. I really enjoyed this, love the middle verse Sherry.

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  17. In Tofino, we environmentalists jokingly called ourselves shrubs.........smiles.

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  18. I can see you lurking amidst all the beauty you describe, a smiling shrub. This is such an enjoyable read. Thanks Sherry.

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  19. Beautiful imagery Sherry and that last line had me laughing out loud. Thank you,

    https://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2016/09/04/sometimes-cinderella/

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  20. You are so right! Well captured.

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  21. disguise yourself
    as a shrub....I love it, so charming. :)

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  22. This is a treat ... magical with a little chuckle, to boot!

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  23. wow, i think it is a gorgeous sight and moment that is worth waking up early for. yes, and even to disguise oneself as a shrub. :)

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