When the Evening Finds Its Voice

After a long and blessed day  
When the sun starts to lay down  
And mommas are calling their children in  
Children who have been playing
Hard outside all afternoon  
Children who are resisting the call  
Begging for a little more time  
This is the part of the day  
Before darkness takes all the color away  
When the evening finds its voice  
The birds become most active  
Scurrying around  
Darting here and there  
Chirping as the go  
And the pond frogs  
All arrive for vespers  
To sing their evening song  
To the buzz of insects  
Not seen all day  
And the squirrels  
Return to their well-made beds  
As other critters and creatures  
Come out to forage and feed  
Beneath the painted sky  
Which is fading fast  
This is my favorite time of day  
Just before nightfall  
When it seems the whole world  
Is preparing for rest  
And nature sings a song  
Of thanksgiving and praise  
“Be thankful to the Lord  
For it is He who has given  
us this day and rest in Him  
That you may find peace  
Until the morrow  
If it so pleases Him to supply  
Us with another day of living”  
That is the song I hear  
As the last protesting child comes in  
Closing the door behind them  
And night’s blackness is upon us  
Covering all the land  
And illuminating the stars  
To this I smile and say, “Amen”