Coming Home Late One Night

Poem published in REMUS Literary Journal. Spring 2014, Rome, Italy.

Coming Home Late One Night

 

The moonlight shone

Silver and full

As I pull into the drive

Childhood memories

Flicker like ghosts

In the star-studded dark.

 

Calling softly, I open the door

The warning bark turns

To a whimper of joy

Soft fur pressing my legs

As they welcome me home.

 

I move through the darkness

As if in the light of day

To the bedroom where

Sleeping she lay-

Blood of my blood,

Flesh of my flesh-

The silver light paints

An earthreal glow

To the face I loved best

In the world that I know.

 

Sleep had softened

The lines of her face

And a peaceful serenity

Had taken their place.

 

One hand rested

Curled on her cheek

And memories swamped me

As I stood, watching her sleep.

 

I wanted to climb up beside her

And curl by her side

As I had done in my youth.

And to let her soothe

My world-weary heart

As she had done before

When life was simple

And she was my world.

She would have waited up

If she had known

That tonight was the night

I chose to come home.

I could feel that love

As I stood, watching her sleep

And felt the weight lift

And leave me in peace.

 

Not willing to risk

Disturbing her sleep,

I used my hands to sign

What I could not speak;

“I love you, mother.”