Bedtime

cars pass by unnoticed, hidden from view
by trees and houses...
strollers on the sidewalks by the roads
pass by unnoticed as well...
from inside my room, I see the light of day
but nothing else escapes my vision...
the chair by the windows holds me as if it
were a mother holding her baby...
I am locked in an embrace with life and
have no desire to end it...
a cruel vision awaits us all as we age out
of childhood and into something else.
far be it for us to understand it all...
We hold truth in buckets of wine that are
served to our visitors and those who
just happened to be nearby...
millions of molecules pass through our
minds just for the creation of one
thought to be realized...
others die before surfacing and we are
concerned that it is our fault...
a minor glitch in the atmosphere of time
sends us back a year or two,
reflecting on what was or could have been
not understanding it did not matter...
we are seldom alone now that it is winter
and collectively we are warmer
than if we just warmed ourselves...
lights in the forest help the hunters locate
the lost darkness, giving us time
to say our prayers before it all ends tonight.

December 8, 2023