Chasing the Pink Air

Pink sky at night, shepherd's delight.
                                              --an early version of the adage 

            ~      
My sister once worked with a man who told her

that he, his wife, and their children loved sunsets,

which is not so unusual because many people do.

But this man and his family loved sunsets so much,

they would all pile into the car and take off for a spot

that could give them the best vantage point.

He said they called it "chasing the pink air."

I have always loved that story. I can easily imagine

this family hurrying into their car and speeding off to catch a beautiful sunset.

I have thought of chasing the pink air myself sometimes,

especially since our forested spot here in the Shire often obscures the sunset.

Occasionally I can catch the sun in descent,

a bit of glimmering gold coming through the trees, but

I sometimes long to see a vast expanse of pink sky as the day ebbs.

Some day, I may actually drive off into the west to find one.
But remembering the spectacular ones I've seen will do for now.

To close, here are a few fitting lines from Keats' "Endymion,"
who was a young shepherd loved by the Moon goddess Selene:

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep a bower quiet for us
and a sleep full of sweet dreams ... .
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