Night Migration

Autumn has arrived with
an icy blast of Arctic
reminder, as though the
diminishing of lighted days
has not forewarned
sky travellers. This evening
as the hours stretch into
night, the vast twinkling
arras of sky rescues itself
from the velvet black
of deep space unlit
by a new moon, bright and
generously illuminating
the clear sky. This night
there will be none of those
chirping calls from
warblers embarked on
fall migration, sending
their clear, sharp signals
in the language of avian passage
in the night. Absent the
protection of dark night
they leave the field
to nature's lurking predators.