The sound of a semi out on the highway
echoes off the trees behind the house,
surrounds me in its muted waxing and waning,
the whine of tires fading
into the noise of the next vehicle.
In brief lulls of traffic,
I hear the cascading cadence of locusts
still stirring in the cottonwood down by the barn
and in the catalpas in the front yard.
I have risen from bed, sleepless
for no particular reason
except the caffeine
I drank without thinking
too late in the evening.
In this not-quite-quietness of night,
I rub my feet against the carpet’s reassuring softness,
letting the ebbs and flows of light and sound
and texture wrap around me
while I remember the blessings of this good day:
an answering of prayers sent my way
and the sweet release of surrendering
to what God has allowed.
Sometimes,
it is something other than worry
that keeps me from my sleep
and moves me toward
this subtle peace.
H. Arnett
8/10/11
Reflections by Doc Arnett 