Otherwise

placed your head,
my pillow
and slept

night frost glints
as
shattered mirror
broke ground
the moon in
shards of
grass

true gift

Advice inflames
an itchy rash
that spreads crimson
from tip of toe to
top of tangled hair
But empathy’s
a cool bath
balm for the body
and silk sheets
to sleep on.

In winter
the sun slides smooth
across my palm
perfect
round
apricot

the moon
scrap of white
in blue
like
a little girl’s faded dress
hung in breeze
a clothes line
the
dust and prairie sky.

this bed’s not built for three

Mid night
my family’s festivities
the bed
begin.
Baby kicks,
can-cans covers,
spirited squealing.
Sleeping husband goes for gold
in feverish
four a.m front-crawl.

I
in middle
audience stolen from slumber
clap quietly
and
wonder when…
will I ever…
sleep.

vaccination

i’ve been

!shot!

for health

my arm
throbs
and
i’d like to go to bed

in
early morning
the
winter sun
sneaks
through my neighbourhood
a spirited lover
but
the shadows
a cruel and jealous husband
bruise the landscape
purple, navy

Step, slip
slide
a veil of frost
the sidewalk