Sentinel

My soul waits for the Lord, more than the watchman waits for the morning” Ps 130:6 .

I've often said to new recruits,

(stamping their frozen feet along the ramparts

on their first night watch)

"It's wrong to think that night is only darkness.'

"See ! A thousand stars,

like tiny pinpricks in the velvet of the sky,

and the moon's cold glow,

texture the land with shadow

You can see more than you think!

Night vision is the skill

of telling apart a million shades of grey.”

"The task’s important,”

I remind them,

“One of you at least, must spot

the unexpected enemy or welcome guest

- the bane or blessing -

and, with clarion call,

draw sleepers from their beds and chase away their dreams.

This is a job for heroes!”

I have tried to sound convincing.

The night watch need a platitude or two

to prop their eyelids open.

But, if truth be known,

the sight I've longed for most in these cold hours

appears, not on the road, but in the sky,

as sunrise inches colour through the grey

and melts the icy stars

and drowns the moon in light.

Anne Le Bas. 23rd Dec 96