Mystery of the Dawn

Loose boards cracked and banged.
Swallows twittered as they flew in and out.
The horses nuzzled me searchingly.
The interior of the barn was ghostly dark.
Outside was a grayish dawn. 

​I was there for my predawn chores;
I, a skinny youth of ten. 
All was right with the world
except I heard spirits in the dark.
Were they vagrants lurking? 

My heart would stop and I would freeze.
Maybe they didn’t hear me.
I listened intently.
Now they were deathly quiet.
I sighted the nearest pitchfork just in case.

Suddenly I saw the light
that maybe the city folk can’t see.
We all find ourselves in dark, scary places;
we walk in the light of day
to find our way. 

​(c) 2017 Larry Kilham