Poem by Mr J.W. Huddleston who took part in this year’s Dark Skies Run in Northumberland.
Lighting up the night
(The Dark Sky Race)
Black trees, silhouetted.
Moonless sky, cloudless.
Twinkling stars, illuminate.
Owls communicate, foxes reply.
Nocturnal moth, ignored.
Cold wind, resting.
Exhaled breath, clouding.
Noiseless tranquillity, abounding.
Shooting star, silently streaks across heavenly canvas.
Satellite, rolls quickly westward in static orbit.
Flash illuminates, a yellow line high above fading rapidly.
Air craft, lights flashing and angry growl, disrupts the peace.
Bright lights appear, high on a hill side,
Moving fast, falling smoothly down,
Drifting, as if on imaginary wind,
Behind trees disappearing, before reappearing, bobbing along road.
Shapeless voices, float by below the illuminations,
Ignoring for now, the offerings laid out on their behalf,
Dispersing rapidly, with loud pounding footfall across wooden bridge,
Dissipating, as quickly as they arrived, up through the trees.
Status quo, returned.
Vigil, resumed.
Tributes, guarded.
Waiting game, begun.
The lights return, running, leaping down the adventured hill,
Quickly descending, as if Hobb in pursuit,
Manoeuvring stance, avoiding trees, the roots, the stones,
Back over the bridge, grabbing sustenance and red cola, to aid retreat.
The end, insight.
Finish line, crossed.
Winning heroes, congratulated.
Everyone, rewarded.
J. W. Huddleston.
October, 2025.
