Sunlight streams burning
through my morning window and I wake
to a brilliant stillness at 5:48 am.
The heavy touch of sleep holds my cheek
to the pillow and my dreams
poke their heads out of their burrows
to sniff the warm air
and nibble my fingertips. She will soon
awake so I take this chance
to dream her a hello and
good morning and I feel
a smile on her lips. She dreams her warmth
to enfold me and my eyes fall shut
and I lose myself in the beauty
and promise.
My thoughts bubble to the surface
and I awake alone for another
day. Yellow light slips through
the slit in the curtains to stripe
my back but I only feel
the wilted air. I want to block out
the light and hide
in my comfortable darkness
but instead
I shrug off
my winter masks and step
outside
into the chill morning.