Lucy Alexander #6 Night

I have lined our shoes against the wall in readiness

dark came on graduated wings

and suddenly it’s time to sleep

you know the moon’s half closed eye

is dreaming of tomorrow already

focused on the rim of the world

time to lie and let the tiredness take

your weariness and wrap it

in resting give it over to gravity

and I will lie and listen to you sing

and then breathe

and then breathe softly the way you do as you sleep

I wait for the tremor of dream

before I kiss your eyelids

and your chin and slide out from under your heavier form

to arrange our hats on the hooks

in readiness for the sun

and put the shoes in order for our feet.