Another work day has come to a close
A time when its ok to retreat into ourselves and our own
Men and women home from toil, brains worn
The day’s sweat drying into their shorts
The house dim and cool
Cat curled quietly in a soft chair
No sound but the refrigerator’s hum
Fingers cramped from queuing keys
scratch the ears of dogs eager with greeting
Eyes aching and screen weary
fall on peace
amidst the voices of children finishing their homework
with the evening news calling out in the next room
It’s the time of day when folks of times past
sat on their front porches and listened to the whippoorwills
in the fading light of gloaming
A time when all the world takes a breath
Somewhere off in the distance of the evening
a dog barks, a mother calls her children in to supper
the fertile day’s flower fades
and the whippoorwill calls unheard
into the strange, cool stillness
8-22-16
©2020 Lenny Wells
Thoughts From The Orchard 