"After Sunset"

The vast and solemn company of clouds
Around the Sun's death, lit, incarnadined,
Cool into ashy wan; as Night enshrouds
The level pasture, creeping up behind
Through voiceless vales, o'er lawn and purpled hill
And hazéd mead, her mystery to fulfil.
Cows low from far-off farms; the loitering wind
Sighs in the hedge, you hear it if you will, --
Tho' all the wood, alive atop with wings
Lifting and sinking through the leafy nooks,
Seethes with the clamour of a thousand rooks.
Now every sound at length is hush'd away.
These few are sacred moments.  One more Day
Drops in the shadowy gulf of bygone things.

Written by Irish poet William Allingham (1824 - 1889)




After sunset we had our end-of-the-summer-holidays book club, which was hugely enjoyable as always.  Next book - to be read by 1st October - is "Us" by David Nicholls.  I'd better get reading, then!