I reminded her that the night before,
she’d told me she was setting her clock
for 7:23. I responded
by setting mine for 7:24.
She was the early bird and I the worm.
And that caused to remind us: when she reached
over and across me, for the light switch,
I kissed her gently, in stealth mode mind you,
on her cheek, at that precise moment when
the room changed from warm orange light to black,
silhouettes illuminated, moonlight
coming through the window. We nestled in,
she, compact and petite, flat on her back,
and I, stretched on my stomach, my left arm
extended overhead like a swimmer,
reaching for the wall in the final lap.

© Carlos Chagall, 2013

I think this poem works well when paired with For A Sleeping Chloé