As I Stood Watching: The Great Tricksters

Mariah Loves Earth. In the Night. 2023

Looking through the glass, I see the silhouette of the pine trees; they stand like solemn giants waiting for the silence of the night. Behemoths with branches bending over dollhouses with quaint humans who live doll-like lives. They wait in stillness for the lights to slowly dim and blink out of existence. They wait for curtains to be pulled down, porch lights turned on, and children to be kissed goodnight. They wait for when it will be quiet. When it is quiet, they will check their nests for sleeping birds. Soft breath will come out of beaks and the birds will dream of bird seed. It will be time to convene. Alley cats as their only witnesses. 

Me, I am silent. I wait and watch. I watch the birds fly to their nests, the dogs go into their dog houses, and for the cats to begin to howl. No light shines from my window, but shining upon me there is the moon. Wise and silent it stares with suspicion. An old man sits up there with his telescope wondering why I watch. I wonder as well. But I cannot take my eyes off of the trees because I just know that I might miss them. 

This night, it is especially bright, with the starlight reflecting off of the clouds. A black sky, with a white moon, and grey clouds. What a sight! It illuminates their height. As old as they are, they do not stoop, they stand proud. Silently, they begin to shiver. One may mistake it for the wind, but I know better. Their mighty branches shake in greeting. They are awake and ready. 

My eyes begin to droop, but I know as long as I keep one eye open I can follow their pursuit. One lid relaxes slowly, but the other pops open. One hand on my face and one hand on the window. I pull my eyelid upward while my other hand feels the cold glass. I smack my cheeks. Awake! Awake! Awake! Asleep.

Sunlight warms my face and my eyelids burn red. Eyes open, they flicker and shift to my alarm clock. It is seven o’clock in the morning. Alley cats are snoozing, dogs are barking, and the birds are singing. They will sleep again. Tonight I will be awake.