Nightwork

I have been working with the moon at night.  The moon is a steady worker, which is good.  And our project is simple enough.

The moon, which is full at present, stands outside my bay windows late at night painting the entire firmament navy blue and painting soft light across valley expanse.

My part of the project is to stand at the bay windows inside my darkened house and study everything illuminated by the moon.

I have much to consider.

Who owns the artificial specs of light crossing the firmament above?  Why does this one blink and that one not?  Which fold of scattered pine and juniper cradles the coyote that cries when small airplanes cross low in the sky?  Where go the chickadees at night?  How many years before the lights from new homes, which now steadily creep across the valley floor toward me, reach these windows?  How long before Desiree?

And the moon steadily paints its way from one side of my life to the other.

And I do my part, just standing here.

—Mitchell Hegman