Walking the Important Road on a warm night I heard the silent night change.

A heavy sound started in the trees back west beyond Maplewood, whooshing along the south side of the road, passing me, and merging in the trees on both sides of the road toward home.

Far to the north, an owl hooted high in the trees.

The steady sound surrounded me for a time before it faded in the east like a train gone by.

A cold drop of water touched my hand.

The owl kept hooting. I don’t know why.