"We Lie Down Weeping With The Night"

I decided to put the macro lens on after lunch and go hunting for bugs for a change. I was probing amongst the field maple seeds on the front hedge when Ollie started barking. I went to investigate and was shocked and saddened to see Reynard/Hermeline motionless on the ground a couple of yards from where she was standing. I guessed that he/she was dead but wasn't absolutely sure, so took Ollie inside while I investigated. 

The beautiful, very dog-like, animal was dead. I was struck by how similar its pricked ears ears are to Ollie's. Also how black they are against its red coat. (Extras) A crow, magpie or jay had already pecked out its eye. I'm wondering whether it has been poisoned and it even crossed my mind that it might have injured itself after having been spooked by the extremely loud and close fireworks let off from the 'creative hub' opposite. Ollie dog hated them. 

I brought Ollie out so that she could look at and sniff it, considering that she had found it. Every time I take her out for a walk I tell her her that we are going to look for Reynard. We hadn't seen a fox for a long time until Christmas Day when sightings of this animal helped to make my day. 

Before we found the fox I was thinking of posting this poem for New Year's Day by Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

"The Year

What can be said in New Year rhymes,
That’s not been said a thousand times?
The new years come, the old years go,
We know we dream, we dream we know.
We rise up laughing with the light,
We lie down weeping with the night.
We hug the world until it stings,
We curse it then and sigh for wings.
We live, we love, we woo, we wed,
We wreathe our brides, we sheet our dead.
We laugh, we weep, we hope, we fear,
And that’s the burden of the year." 

.