End of Day

(Found here)

We pass the cows on their way

   to the milking shed

and the farmer’s easing hands.

Frogs are gladly chorusing

   like little gibbons

in the dark reeds by the soak.

We cross the fallow paddock

   to a stand of trees

surrounded by burnt bracken.

The fire has found a refuge

   in the deep hollow

at the base of a dead tree.

In the absence of rabbits

   I slip back the bolt

and lay the rifle aside.

My sons collect sticks and roots

   to stoke the jarrah

tree’s self-consuming furnace.

A pair of pygmy bats hunt

   and even dogfight

in the twilight and the smoke.

‘Did you bring the bullet, Dad?’

   I toss the cartridge

that misfired into the fire.

We run for cover and cheer

   in shock and joy at

the expected explosion.

We are happy together

   my small sons and I

here at the dark end of day.

~Andrew Lansdown