Nocturnal Encounter

/ moragnoffke

30 past twelve

Thirty past twelve 
In the dead of night 
listening: 
I hear nature...
Open my window wide...
Lean out... 
River rippling 
Ripple-ripple, 
High pitched 
Toot toot. 
And again 
Toot toot 
Ripple-ripple 
Rippling river;
Echoing toot toots. 
I gaze out into 
Darkness: 
Inky sky and 
A couple of diamonds. 
Black velvet hills 
Meet the valley 
Where the river ripples.
Toot toot 
Echo toot toot. 
Ghosts of trees
Hardly move 
In the breeze 
Host hooting owls 
Hauntingly hoot
For me.
Owls, Egg tempura, painting in powdered oxides and egg tempura by Morag Noffke

What do you think about owls? I will tell you what I think in the comments. I would love to hear your comments.

Look after yourself wherever you are in the world. 🦉🦉

~Morag Noffke~

36 thoughts on “Nocturnal Encounter”

    • Thank you. They are quite special to me , maybe because of early memories. Do you know Chapman’s peak? I saw my first owl with my parents there when I was five, then when I was 6 I was given a prize for tying first in class with another boy. The book was Ozzie the Owl. One of my fondest memories too..
      I think I might write a separate blog about my memories of owl encounters 🦉🦉

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  4. Oh, a lovely poem, Morag. You capture that eerie nocturnal feeling quite well! 🙂

    There’s an owl in my neighborhood. I’ve never seen it, but I hear it in the early morning before the sun rises. They are such silent fliers that I can hear him off to the north, then a few minutes later it’s to the south, then almost overhead.

    I think they are amazing creatures, and one of my favorite birds.

    I love the painting, as well. I have worked with oxides or egg tempura. I looks wonderful.

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    • Thank you for your encouraging comment. I wonder if owls feel so special because there are not as many as one’s common birds, and they hide away. They seem precious to me.
      I am glad you loved the painting. I’m not sure if oxides are considered safe to use. The powder is a fine dust and I heard after I used them that one is supposed to wear a mask. I gave mine away when I moved but I loved painting with them. It’s quite a slow process and I found it meditative.

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    • Thank you very much for your contribution and your survey work. Thank you for the link. I think after listening to all the calls it’s closest to the tawny owl but obviously I could be wrong. Owls are fascinating 😊🙋

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  14. A beautiful poem, beautifully complemented by your lovely artwork! We have mixed views about owls in India. While some traditions associate them with bad luck, others revere them as the vehicle of Goddess Lakshmi. But I believe that they are like any other wild creature, and by feeding on mice, rats, and insects, they play a valuable role in keeping the ecosystem healthy and balanced.

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    • Thank you Kaushal, if I’m not mistaken it’s considered bad luck or bad omen in western culture … I have not taken that seriously and I have read something about owls and Goddess Lakshmi. They do play a valuable role in keeping the ecosystem balanced. Thank you for your contribution 🙏💐❤️

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