Early Dawn at Carter's Lake

The pale yellowish moon plays hide and seek,
between the low drifting, shadowy clouds.
The late summer night is steeped in the warm, salty
air permeating from the dark misty swamp’s shroud.

The insects serenade with their loud and final crescendo.
The bullfrogs chime in with their bass vocals, as an ancient
alligator bellows its last early morning call.

The white tailed deer grazes nervously next to
the dark water’s edge, as a large cotton-mouth
slithers beneath the water from its wet, muddy ledge.

A large Horned owl warns of the coming of
the first morning light, as a cotton tail rabbit
nibbles at the tall green grass with un-tethered
delight.

Then silence befalls, as the streaming rays of golden beams
flow from the daylight star, slowly sifting through the darkness
of the late summer night, bringing a new day of bright sun light.

A cool breeze begins to blow through the grayish, green
latent Spanish moss on the lazy swaying Cyprus trees.
A mocking bird sounds its first morning call, while
the humming of the honey bee can be heard by all.

Butterflies with wings of soft velvet brown dart
from giant white magnolias to wild trumpet shaped,
yellow lilies, fresh out of the ground.

The dawn has spawned a new day for all the creatures,
here at Carter’s lake. They will go on in their creature way,
playing the same old games they’ve played for centuries on
each new dawning day.

Jackie R. Kays
© 2004

I know this place well. It’s located in the panhandle of Northwest Florida.
Great Bass fishing, but a real spooky place at night!

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Early Dawn at Carter's Lake

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