birdsong dawn, July 8, 2007I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of inflections
Or the beauty of innuendoes,
The blackbird whistling
Or just after.
Wallace Stevens, Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird
Time is suspended for a moment between the silence of the night and the awakening of a new day. It happens before there is any visible inkling of dawn. In fact, to the naked eye the darkness appears to be the same depth. The birds however seem to know of the transitional moment -- when it is time to usher in new.
Who knows if there is a specific leader among the choir who starts the melody or whether they are all equally as sensitive to the nuances of nature's rhythms though I tend to think there's one bird out there who is maestro. Can't you picture the little guy holding a teeny tiny little baton, knocking it against an oak tree or a weeping willow to get the attention of the sleeping birds? I wonder if he has a pitch pipe too? I'm glad one of them has the incentive to get things going. I betcha its a Robin. They can be pushy little buggers.
However it happens.....it is a beautiful sound of hope for renewal, regeneration and respect for life. And, it happens before the break of dawn every single day.
This morning, the birds welcomed me to join them outside to listen. Having had a restless night of tossing and turning and not feeling like I ever managed to slumber into a deep sleep, I was glad to hear their little voices after a long period of silence. Though I had used the silence as best as I could, processing a week of "downtime" and beginning the wondering of what will be in store during the week ahead, I accepted the invitation. By the time I had made myself a cup of tea, the sky had begun to reveal it's orange red and deep blue canvas as a backdrop to the birdsong.
As I stood there watching and listening intently, I was struck by a thought.........
Dawn is never silent like the night but they need one another to distinguish the differences. Neither appears timeless on their own. Looked at separately, it feels as though we live a very ephemeral existence, captured in moments which appear to have a beginning and an end. Though every sunrise looks different, the very act of it rising allows us to believe in eternity. We can rejoice in the parts we have been chosen to play. We are a part of nature's eternity.....in silence and in song.
Ok.......I'm going back to bed now that I've shared my little epiphany. Will someone please look after my family's Sunday breakfast? They like cinnamon in their pancakes. You'll find it in the cupboard. Thanks.
13 comments:
The Chelsea Buns are in the oven, having risen for the past 70 minutes! Not pancakes, but it should do in a pinch.
I too, love to share the magic of birdsong at dawn. The eternal hope of renewal - nature's way of putting us right back on top of things - it's very own magical spa!
What a wonderful way you paint pictures, thoughts and feelings with your words - it is thrilling and invigorating and a purely lovely way to start my day! (much better than a cold swim in Big Hawk!)
"DAISY"
'Dawn is never silent like the night but they need one another to distinguish the differences. Neither appears timeless on their own.'
Bloody hell that's a remarkable couple of sentences that has struck me dumb....stunning piece of writing!
What a beautiful way you have of looking at things. Most people who have had a sleepless night would be grumpy as hell and not looking at the wonder of nature. Good for you Dana.
Wonderful thoughts on transition, on the movement between slumber and waking, on the shift between light and dark & how it can all be ushered in with the music of little birds. Gorgeous writing, JP
Daisy....thank you. That means a lot..... it truly does. I had a feeling you would have felt the same early morning symphony.
The first time I had experienced this was at camp actually (perhaps you did as well)....don't know whether it was after a late late night trip to the dew line.... hmmm.
Many early mornings I would wake up with the birds and make my way up to the kitchen to share it with John while he baked bread and goodies for the day. While the whole camp was still asleep, we would enjoy the quiet AND the birds over a cuppa. Once everyone else was awake.....the day became a blur of activity.
"the bright sun comes up....the dew falls away.........good morning, good morning......the little birds say" :)
ps. thank you for feeding my family. the chelsea buns were a hit
paul....i "loveitloveitloveit" when something in my writing renders a bloody hell from you. thank you friend....
gypsy.....i find that time of day one of my favourites....and sorely welcoming after a long insomniac night.
Deb....thank you....it seemed like a little gift....the words fell to me in quick succession as I stood outside...so quickly that I rushed back inside to get them down.
It's funny....don't know if you feel the same way, but I find that the pieces I write which make me feel the most excited also make me question whether or not it even makes sense......
I posted the piece and promptly fell back to sleep wondering if I had just written something completely out to lunch....and still excited about it...weird. The comments and feedback tells me that I was offered a gem this morning and am very happy to have been the vessel to receive it.
I love your early morning reflective posts. I will gladly whip up some pancakes for your family anytime!
What a beautiful post.
I love the dawn, and find it's my most inspiring and creative time.
Your imagery is so beautifully written, I feel like I'm right there sipping tea with you.
Hello! I'm visiting via Gypsy. I've experienced this time of morning....when the birds wake up, and I think this is a beautifully written post. More like a prayer.
Hi Tori....thank you. I always feel like I've been blessed when the words find me in the early morning.
Bohemian Mom....would love to share a cup of tea with you. Our girls can hang out together as we contemplate all that is right in the world.
Anonymous boxer....welcome. maybe it was.....it felt that way.
Beautifully written - but the birds ... puts me too much in mind of Tippi Hedren!!!
thank redness.....i did have a hitchcockian moment listening to the surroundsound of the birds. Fortunately, it was still too dark to see the little tyrants. :)
I often write so late into the night that I stop only when I hear the first songs of the birds just before dawn. It's my signal that I need to stop and get to bed before I lose even that little sliver of time with my wife.
Needless to say, I'm doing my best to stop this ridiculous habit. The new job is helping!
Thanks for this. I thought I was the only one who noticed the neat things that happen when everyone else is asleep.
Between you and me, this country is "covered" throughout the night..... Writing late at night, or early in the morning was a way for me to deal with my insomnia...NOW...well I think the writing is adding to it. So much to write....so little time.
thank you for your feedback....
Post a Comment