It is dawn
and there is light
but the sun is yet to rise.
Mist hangs over the marsh,
a dust sheet, to be removed
by the heat yet to come,
A heron flies low
to its chosen place by the stream.
Rooks commute to their favourite field,
while ducks squabble in the reeds.

Suddenly the sun's rays
triumphantly herald a new day.
Cattle retch at grass
moist with dew,
and the sheep follow.
A coot squawks
prodding the water as it swims.
Two moorhens pass,
their call an octave higher.
The heron, motionless, prepares for it's vigil.

A breeze ruffles the surface of the stream.
The coot snorts;
the moorhens call seems angry!
Bending reeds reveal the ducks.
The cattle halt, raise their heads and stare.
The sheep follow.
Statuesque, the heron waits.

The sun rises high in the sky.
The buzzing of a bee stops
only as it climbs into yet another flower.
Unannounced the butterfly arrives,
pauses, then flits upon its way.
The cattle move
to the shade of nearby trees,
swishing tails against persistent flies,
the sheep follow
but can only twitch their ears.

Swiftly the heron strikes!
Holding high its prey for all to see.
A silver glint and the fish departs.
on its last, lonely journey.
Close by a streak of blue, a splash,
and a kingfisher returns successful
to an over hanging bough.
Rooks now joined by lapwings
walk together.

So the search for food goes on,
for all save one,
The solitary skylark flying high
surveys the scene,
and with undulating song,
proclaim to all
this, is a beautiful morning!