birds stopped their twitter,
grasshoppers, their chitter,
dragonflies, their mating,
air was ... anticipating,

'twas as if the world was slowing,
as the silence thickened,
'twas as if the gods were showing
as the music quickened

as darkness edged onto the stage,
spread its lonely wings,
as silver orb had come of age,
bit into the fiery ring.

favoured man with its fright,
savoured us with its blight,
age-old omen not lost its bite,
silver enchantment of the night