The Dark of Night

 

Rain has finally ended. The rolling booms

of thunder no longer reverberating through the

forest. The canopy drips incessantly relieving itself

of the burden of rainwater. On the hillsides the

excess runs off into the forest creek below

swelling the passage of water meandering

through the ravine finding its way eventually

to the great river far beyond the reaches of the

forest. Wind gusts that accompanied the storm

blasting through tree masts clacking their tops

in a fiercely disturbed dance of courtly sentinels

raked through dead limbs of old pines and maples

cracking and sending them to the forest floor.

The atmosphere is dense, dark and silent. No

birds sing, no animals venture from their dens.

No bees, no butterflies or damselflies could

survive nature's assault and remain securely

hidden in tiny nooks and crannies of tree bark. 

The dim light of late afternoon falters and fades

welcoming early dusk and soon the dark of night.