I was sleeping sound when
She startled me awake with
her wet nose booping mine
in the wee hours of light dark,
when the street light goes off
and the world is quiet and still
the best hours to cocoon
muscle-mem’ry reaching out
touching soft ears, I cooed
still half-slept, “ it’s okay…”
always to her I coo since her baby years
are unknown to me,
settling, roaming, settling, roaming
right-side left-side, back I stirred
She stirred, both of us stirring
arms legs here there, I accommodated
always I accommodate her changing places
while trying to sleep myself
checking the clock
turning the fan off then on
kicking covers off then on
an hour of sleep in ten minutes
then fifteen then thirty
then finally 6 am came ‘round
timing when it’s okay to rise
to eat to sleep all my life
setting times to do
breakfast eaten, NOW She sleeps
soundly curled into the nook
of my left ankle and rear-end
legs forming a tent for her always
