Morning Island Song

It all starts in the stillness of the tropical night
when darkness is stirred into a pot of gleaming stars
when a lonely rooster’s crowing…
and the mysterious one who answers back…
both join their voices in discordant unison in the distance

Then a stray dog – confused on how to respond
but quick to join in, yelps meaninglessly and tirelessly at the blank sky

Then a screech from a passing insomniac bird
leaves a trail of melancholy song
that slowly fades into silence

The voices repeat themselves
and suddenly the sounds start to converge together
as they get louder and stronger
and burst into a symphony of island song

Impatient with the night and moon and the stars
they welcome the sun to this island
with a thousand unified voices
and deafen the landscape with their anticipation
to rise up with the brightness
and the hope and light of the sun.