Tuesday, July 27, 2010

The Spy

Warmly wrapped in a cloud of comforter the body lay still
waiting for the slumber that would not come,
the mind ticking away the minutes to a restless hour.

Slowly, to alleviate the disturbance of the rising trance
I crept across the darkened room searching for the doorknob,
quietly opening and closing the squeaking door,
then wafting down creaky stairs to the porch rocker
where I can usually expel the thoughts that prevent sleep.

In the top of the maple as seen through the hemlock branches
the blinking began-
a steady rhythm, continuous, winking in uncanny standstill.
Minutes upon minutes of relentless blinking...
Was a firefly caught in a time space continuum?

Mesmerized, I rose from the rocker for a closer look
when I was struck by a cold hard familiar fear-
this is no summer firefly, it is an alien
spying, winking, pulling my attention to its eerie signal.

In a mute zombie stare-down, I mustered my courage
to self exclaim, "have no fear"... my angels as back up
were hovering, protecting, and encouraging.

"Have no fear lest it steal your light." The words
directed their aim in a telepathic chant at the blinking.
It grew dimmer and dimmer until in a final faint flicker
it disappeared.

Then I returned to bed and slept very well indeed.

2 comments:

  1. The imagery and the related tension created here is brilliant!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you both. Just amusing myself here.

    ReplyDelete