The Misty Morning

The air is misty and heavy during the early morning hours before anything moves or is stirring from the early fall night. There is crispness in the air despite the heavy morning dew and the air is full of the smells of the out doors like the smell of freshness that sheets have when they are hung on the clothesline to dry. There is a pinkish red tint in the early morning sky just before the sun bursts into the eastern sky signaling the beginning of a new day. In the distance there is a rustle and a flutter signaling something moving about beginning the day and there is glimpse of a moving spot of brown as the doe and her yearling fawn step into the clearing looking about with their heads in the air and their noses pointed high into the sky sniffing the air with curiosity and aware of some sort of danger all in the same moment. The doe and her fawn move cautiously, slowly.

In the distant valley the faint whistle of the train carrying coal from the mine interrupts the movements and motions of nature reminders of how things are now with the rails that run across the countryside taking what little is left of nature and forcing the presence of man in the name of progress. As the early morning fog begins to lift erasing the sea of fog there is a clanging of the gates at the rail crossing in the valley, a second reminder of the sounds of man that so intrude on nature and the quiet stillness that lasts for only seconds. The doe and her fawn lurch forward not sure which direction to go, confused and startled soon swift in flight as the whistle blows from the valley below taking them from their peaceful and fleeting moment of morning bliss in the meadow back into the woods where they at some point get brave and come again into the clearing at another time.

At that very moment there is a shrill cry from above and a red-tailed hawk circles overhead proud and omnipotent with a squealing furry ball in his talons. A rabbit has now become early morning prey in a weakened moment to a predator in this early morning mist signaling that despite the infringements on nature from the train and industry that some circles of nature are not interrupted yet and continue in the early morning mist soon to pass and be history never to come again. And so it is in this place, in this moment that man and nature are one although so much is changing in both worlds signaling coexistence for the time being.