By Cheryl Snell
The sky has just begun to lighten when the backyard rooster clears his throat. He begins to crow, aiming his strident call at the edge of the dawn where the moon sinks as the sun heaves itself over the horizon. Ribbons of color trail one another, and my man and I are too riveted by the glow to pay attention to the bird until his cry shatters the colors. My man answers with a Tarzan yell. A double set of loops tumbling into the morning, one smothering the other.
Which is the alarm and which is the all clear? I wonder.
Intriguing and realistic
Thank you!
Such a fun piece – imaginative and lyrical. And who can resist a rooster story?
Well done Cheryl!
Thanks for all your help, Amanda.
I appreciated the language, especially “heaves itself over the horizon”, but I don’t know what’s going on in the story.
I agree that the language is great! Rather poetic; one of my first thoughts was it could be a poem.
What I can tell is happening is that a couple is appreciating the sunrise (see: “Dawn”, “moon sinks”, “sun heaves”; “my man and I . . . Riveted by the glow”) and their rooster is crowing.
It sounds like the rooster ruins the the sunrise with his noise and the man yells back at it.
My understanding is a bit foggy at the end in the last three sentences, which is unfortunate, because I feel like they’re important. Perhaps our author or other readers can give some direction for understanding that last bit?
I do find that if understanding eludes me, coming back at a later time to reread can give new insight.
The beauty of these short pieces is that they are quick to reread and if done well you will have more to unpack each time even thought there are but 101 words.
A rooster interrupts the couple’s enjoyment of the sunrise. When the man tries to drown out the crowing with a Tarzan yell, the wife wonders about the state of their marriage. Will he try to drown her out too?
Lovely read…well written…kudos…
Thanks!