As the Setting Sun Rises

AS THE SETTING SUN RISES

Have you absorbed the static of the television
as it discharges late night shows and replays
or the occasional rerun we forgot to watch?

Have you heard the pitter-patter of water
from the air-conditioner that has been spewing
20 Degrees for a couple of hours now?

Have you heard the stray cat's cry
as she searches for food for her brood
in trash cans and plastic bags?

Have you listened to the Maya
as it readies it's nest for the chicks
that are about to hatch and take flight?

Have you observed the waking of the world
from the scratching sound of the household help's
walis ting-ting on the pavement?

Have you waited for the morning
and heard the sound of the bath
as the child prepares for another day at school?

Have you heard of the airplane
that flies above your head and carries
a load more precious than gold?

Have you felt the dreariness of the night
as it unfolds like a dark blanket
that covers the night light in the corner socket?

I have.
From dusk till dawn I have observed
while others dream of bigger things

I have observed the world as it readies
for a new day, readies for life
from the time it started it's slumber

There is nothing more beautiful
than the beginning of something beautiful
and the end of something fulfilling

And even the in-betweens make
waking up more eventful, more purposeful
than staying in bed, and doing nothing

The static of the late night T.V.
The pitter-patter from the air-con
The song of the stray cat
The flute of the Maya bird
The swish of the walis ting-ting
The jingle of the shower
The hum of the airplane
The waking of the world.