Getting to the heart of what matters in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area
Where the Streetlights Stop
The Milky Way over Redfish. Photo Credit: Shannon Scott Photo contest submission to SIHA.
I like living where the streetlights stop Where I can see down from the mountain top
Where the roads changes hues from blue to black Where a sharp turn might send you off a sudden switch back
I greet the night under unfettered stars Only lit up by Jupiter, Venus, Mars
I watch as the Moon waxes and wanes The whole night sky my personal window pane
There’s no noisy traffic that drums, hums and haws Just the hawks and owls with their excited midnight calls
The moths flutter skyward, all looking for a mate Illuminated by Luna, they’ve planned the most perfect date
The Bats EEK out, ready to stretch their wings They know with no certainty what adventures the night will bring
The coyotes cackle by, like a band of good-old-boys While they prowl the night in search for some new toys
We’ve made impacts to the land, that much is for sure But here the sky’s pristine, which is what I adore
There are some people who’d see this space lit up Clearly, the Milky Way has never filled their cup
It’s been a year in the woods, not touched by artificial light And I couldn’t be more grateful Without a single streetlight in sight
Cush is a 2024 returning naturalist who spent this last winter teaching elementary students in Southern California. On a clear night you can find him star gazing and listening for owls in the SNRA.