Before the Day Starts
Location
A poem inspired by Langston Hughes’ Daybreak in Alabama.
I have this strong desire
swelling inside me like a ballad.
What I want is to write a song
that captures the eternal moments
of ducks all flocking on the water
waiting for the sun to scare their sleepiness away.
I’ll add in the sounds of early-morning silence
to emphasize the tranquility that
sweeps smoothly over the glassy surface,
enveloping all who rise before the day starts.
I’ll include the drag of tired feet
and the groan of an aged boat
and the plunk of down-and-in
and the scrape of wooden oars
and the creak of a too-dry slide
and the excitement creeping up.
Then all of a sudden, my song will crescendo,
as the boat launches forward
and, picking up speed, the boat is
propelled upriver, downriver, ‘cross-river, all-river
every which way
until arms get too sore
and knees get too weak
and back gets too strained
and feet get too wet
so the morning pressing in seems to beckon like a friend.
Temptingly.
Oh so temptingly.
Then out come the oars
and out comes the boat
and away goes the slide
and away go the feet
and the morning carries on
and the excitement quiets up,
anticipating sunrise.
The last long note
anticipating sunrise.