Country Night Concerto

first geese tune up, blowing wild trumpets
in warning. theme taken by dogs, barking
on outlying farms, against the rumbling
bass of traffic on a distant motorway;
cows ask sad, euphonium questions
answered by the crows’ harsh message
that all is carrion; eased into melody
lifting in the strains of waking birds,
till whine of chainsaw – violins on acid -
crunching feet on gravel, men and lorries
scurrying things here and there like ants
claims the world, switches on the light.