Before the Day Starts

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.