Moonlight Flight

Night is softly falling. While human mothers sing quietly to their little ones, beyond the silver night light, over the window sill and into the meadow, mother squirrels nestle close to silky baby fur. Mama birds tuck in newly feathered ones. The woodpecker has long ceased his work. Down by the pond, mother duck and her ducklings are fast asleep, as the turtle family nearby breathes softly in their shells. Butterflies are at rest in the cool, night hours, while they dream of sunshine, nectar, and bright petal mornings. Much of the meadow is quiet and still.

But as mother moon rises in the sky, the cricket band begins their merry welcome. "Finally! Night has come and it is our time to sing!" they say. Skunks bustle by out of the forest in hopes of finding a scrap from the farmhouse nearby. Raccoon is already tugging at seed bins, bound up too tightly, and scurries away as the farm cat pounces--eyes glistening and hair upright.

The pond too has its lovers of the night. Toads call to one another, "Here! Here!" And a nearby river otter slinks under the water, in search of fish and other treats. Lightning bugs dance and delight the meadow with their flickering diamond light that gives way to the stars. 

This is the moonlight flight, the dance and song of the creatures of the night.