Embers of the sun

Stones skim underfoot, provoking movement with their shimmering surfaces.
Where to look? Beneath...beyond...up and away....
The dark is drawing closer,
we feel we should turn but one crying bird urges us to sit and watch for longer..
We promised to be better listeners.
To take sincerely each yell in the night.
Yet the more we sit
in each little moment the vibrations of those sounds seem to curdle more and more, bit by bit...
and to our astonishment we are watching the same movement again and again
looped.
So all we feel able to muster is a little strength in our stiffened fingers
to stretch out and clasp on to one another
a little comfort in the cold.
Our little strengths mingle and double
and we kindle enough joy to admire
autumns falling leaves
scattering like dying embers from summers sun.