there’s nothing worse
than 2am
except 3am
then maybe 4
night
toward sleep
a plate of beans
marinated sundried tomatoes
a glass of wine
all to ease one
in the night
moving steadily
toward sleep
dreams half remembered
there are dreams
half remembered
on waking
to a room
soaked in moonlight
with long hard hours
left to morning
and the wine
long gone
from the cup
waiting for dawn
the wind moans
outside all night long
the cat clings
wrapped around my arm
my eyes stare
where the ceiling should be
waiting for dawn
linger too long
there’s a tendency
for Β these old bones
to linger too long
in those dreams
of the night
still at sea
another night
blends into
morning
sleep
elusive
dreams
disjointed
mind hovers
over water
so far
from land
still
at sea
night
night
still, deep
a long way
till dawn
following an image from Tu Fu
eyes heavy
alone on a balcony
as night drags on
the sound of a solitary crow
in one’s ears
the night endless
the night
endless
disjointed dreams
and gulls
laughing
in the distance
the moon in darkness
the moon
in darkness
above
I look up
below
gulls sing out
in between
and morning
a lifetime
away
Leonard Durso 