A good night

Lying beside me,

your eyes closed,

in that place between

Here and There.

The day has been packed up

and folded away neatly

for tomorrow,

the evening pulled around us

like a heavy blanket,

comforting.

I wear the almost-darkness

like a dressing gown,

and it wraps around us

for a while.

Whispers of sounds skip

in beats between us –

a snuffle or two, a sigh.

You are content,

as am I.

Quiet time, our time,

end-of-the-day time,

sleep-is-not-far-away time.

I touch your face

gently,

what a miracle

you are.

I touch your hand,

softly,

you are not yet in that land of nod.

You reach out,

grip my hand and

curl your fingers

around my thumb.

Goodnight mum.