Morning Has Broken

The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep.

Jalaluddin Rumi

 

Even though the longest day was last Wednesday the nights still seem very short. I don't like going to bed before it's properly dark and normally, at home, have to make sure curtains are tightly drawn, doors are closed and electrical devices removed to banish every chink of light.

It was therefore a challenge last week to sleep in a shepherd's hut where there were no curtains, only one rather ineffectual blind on the window next to the bed. "Too light!" I moaned, but surprisingly I slowly became accustomed to lying in bed, looking through the window at the dark shapes of nearby tall trees, and gradually falling asleep listening to a loan song thrush, reluctant to end his day. 

 

Of course, with short nights, dawn comes early, so I found myself waking around 4.30am with the birds already up and delivering their enthusiastic chorus. I rose to observe the beautiful early morning light dancing across the Morecambe Bay sands. It was difficult to go back to sleep.

 

Writing prompt:

• Write about a time when you have found it difficult to get to sleep. Explore the reason why and how you felt.
• Where is the most unusual place you have slept? Describe it in your writing, using all your senses.
• Have you woken at dawn and listened to its 'secrets'. Write about your early morning musings.