"As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame; / [ . . . ] Each mortal thing does one thing and the same: / Deals out that being indoors each one dwells; / Selves -- goes itself; 'myself' it speaks and spells, / Crying 'What I do is me; for that I came'." --Gerard Manley Hopkins

09 June 2009

Moonlight and Mockingbirds

Last night I couldn't sleep; here's what I wrote in my journal:

It's 1:00 a.m., and stuffiness from allergies and the last of a summer cold is keeping me awake. Earlier tonight, the Young Man drew my attention to the full moon: hanging precisely between the tops of the dogwood and the horse chestnut, its burnt-orange disk glowed like a living coin. Now it sails high above me, soft white diffused into a misty gleaming, lighting the darkness like a miniature sun. The mockingbird in the dogwood sings to it, a fascinating repertoire of a dozen calls or more. Maybe I should play it some Wagner.

7 comments:

eutychus said...

lovely.

GrumpyTeacher1 said...

Did you?

Beth Impson said...

Thanks for visiting, gentlemen. GT, no, not at 1:00 a.m. -- no energy to find some and take it outside! (Drugs will do that to you.) I may some night, though, as he is a very persistent visitor!

eutychus said...

"...he is a very persistent visitor!"

Which was of course my next thought. "Lovely" unless you are trying to sleep. It doesn't take long for the little buggers to become rather annoying. :-)

Lucindyl said...

I love mockingbirds passionately, but like the Muse, they certainly can decide to sing at inconvenient times!

Publius said...

I miss getting to encounter your insights on life regularly. How are you doing?

Beth Impson said...

Publius -- finally got up a new post! I shall email you when I get through the first Summit round, which pretty much has consumed the past couple of weeks.

Followers