Early Morning Stillness Poem by David Mitchell

Hush! All is still and silent, cold and dark,
No sound to hear; a whelming silentness
Engulfs my being; I wake long long before
The sun lifts up his head: wide wide awake
Am I, while all beside so quiet is
The earth herself seems sleeping. The birds wake:
I hear their silvery song: why sing they so?
So beautiful, the world beside oblivious
Of their entrancing melody.—Sleep on,
Ye people; or if wake, do not destroy
With unmeet noise their heavenly music. Why
Can mankind not this peacefulness sustain,
But with wild clamouring noise peace doth destroy?
List, list, O man! to the unforc'd song o' th' lark:
Hear, that hast ears to hear! A wondrous sound,
A melody divine! I hear your song,
And know that I shall be at peace this day,
Though I know not what woe this day may bring
To me or any other mortal being:
Your song, the outward expression of your souls,
With you created by the Thought of God.

(Monday,23rd January,2006.)