Something disturbed my slumber. I stirred and heard a layered cacophony– a rich, raucous nighttime noise drifting in through our window, along with the chilly autumn air. What is that? I wondered blearily. Beneath my nest of blankets, I turned toward Kurt, sensing he, too, was awake.
“What’s that?” I murmured.
“Coyotes, I think,” he whispered. “Did you hear the owl, too?”
Oh, I thought, in surprise. I did.
With Kurt’s words, the sounds had shifted in my memory. I had heard the owl, but hadn’t quite realized it. It was like one of those moments when you don’t quite hear what someone says, and you ask,”What?”, and then, right as they answer, you realize you actually did hear their words, but it just took a second for them to come together in your mind. The owl’s call, closer to the house, had floated on the wave of coyote revelry. I knew it was there, or knew something was there, like a flavor or scent I couldn’t quite identify. Altering the whole experience, subtle but significant. Now it all fell into place.
We laid still and listened intently. Captivated. The ruckus didn’t last long. The coyotes carried their revelry further afield or simply quieted. The night slipped back into silence.
Then the owl called again. One long, low “hooooooot.”
Clear and true. A gift or a farewell.
Or perhaps both.
Slowly, contentedly, I closed my eyes and fell back asleep.
Nix the comfort zone 
Beautiful. I can see this as a poem or a prose poem. It wraps us in the warmth of your words. Lovely, Molly.
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Thanks, Janet. It was such a lovely moment.
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What is it that makes hearing a hooting owl so magical? It’s the highlight of my day when I hear one in the early morning hours.
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I love hearing owls! I heard another one while I walked into school early one morning recently and was delighted!
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What a wonderful description! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
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Thanks, Ruth! Hearing an owl at night always thrills me, and to hear it along with the coyotes was pretty cool!
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First of all, your use of language is ASTOUNDING. Somehow you find a way to use the exact right word to make your images clear and vivid. There’s magic in there! And yes, I could definitely relate to your description of shifting sound, as that happens to me often. I notice there is sound, and it takes me a moment to figure out that I actually…you know…*heard* something. =))
Coyotes. Owls. A perfect lullaby.
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Thanks, Lainie! It was a magical moment and I’m so glad that came across. Thanks for reading and commenting!
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Mmm… Iovely. This line “Clear and true. A gift or a farewell” really got me but probably because of all the description before. (And I’m not going to lie, I’m so tired right now that I *had* to read this just to see how on earth interrupted sleep could be a gift. You convinced me.)
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lol I’m not typically a fan of uninterrupted sleep either, but I’m always up for hearing an owl. The coyote bonus made it even more worthwhile! I hope you get some rest and relaxation soon. I do know what you mean about the so tired. This year is beyond tough. Hang in there!
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Absolutely beautiful Molly! Love, Cheryl
On Tue, Nov 2, 2021, 5:36 PM Nix the comfort zone wrote:
> mbhmaine posted: ” Something disturbed my slumber. I stirred and heard a > layered cacophony– a rich, raucous nighttime noise drifting in through our > window, along with the chilly autumn air. What is that? I wondered > blearily. Beneath my nest of blankets, I turned towar” >
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Thanks, Cheryl!
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This happened to me the other night as I was falling asleep. Not the coyotes, but a loud owl call. Living with nature is not all as quiet as one may believe.
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We leave the window cracked even when we should close it (because it’s freezing!), just on the off chance we might hear an owl call.
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Molly, beautiful summary of this little nighttime concert you were gifted. I’m glad the coyotes moved on or grew quiet. They can be really obnoxious during the night! I loved the description of their “coyote revelry.” Yes, indeed!
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The first time we heard coyotes, after moving from downtown Baltimore to rural Maine, we thought they sounded like a pack of drunks! They can definitely be obnoxious. lol
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Molly, your words are filled with nighttime wonder!
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Thanks, Carol! It was a moment filled with wonder.
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I don’t think there are many coyotes that want to take on the talons of a barred owl! Once at Mount Battie in Camden we saw an owl perch on a limb for 30+ minutes. Something tasty must have been in their sights.
PS Do you use “their” referring to a single entity like I just did rather than the awkward “she/he?”
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