Posted: 20/06/21

Sunrise 24 May 2021 - Jane Standen

The sun rose invisibly, behind cloud.  A touch of pink cloud heralded its arrival – and then I found myself saying out loud, ‘There you are’ as the pale disc slid above the clouds and highlighted wet roofs and pools of water. 

The sky was quite Turneresque to the East with cloud and viewed through the condensation added to this thought.  As the sun rose higher the condensation cleared and I could feel the sun’s heat through the glass.  To the West, the world suddenly sprang into colour – copper green roofs, red brickwork, more modern graphic buildings.  The trees in Queen’s Gardens glowed in their spring green.  Seagulls flew by – I was above them which surprised me – then the pigeons woke up and swooped about on roofs and scaffolding.  A silent street-sweeping lorry trundled by – silently – but I did hear two motorbikes farting their way through the streets. 

 To the East the colour was rising – nearly-pink smoke in the distance, the sheen on the River Hull, the painted bridge, the lichen on the parapet of Hull College was beautifully lit. 

Finally, the sunshine crept down the back of William Wilberforce on his mighty pillar. 

I won’t forget the views of the city I saw this morning or the sense of the calm before most people’s real day began. 

Thank you!