Alarm

 

Did you wake up at 3 a.m. because
the dark was whispering too loud, or
perhaps you heard a melody you needed
to fill in with words? At this time of night,
your clothing is slung over a chair like the day
you just ended, and your body knows

more than your brain. It can feel
your secrets, your thoughts bulging
to the surface like seeds about to burst
the earth. You can try to quiet them down,
tamp your fears back into the soil, but

your body knows it’s already too late,
and it shortens your breath, points
your eyes to the helpless ceiling,
the dark staring back like
a damp, fertile field.

 

 

 

Francine Witte is the author of four poetry chapbooks and two flash fiction chapbooks. Her full-length poetry collection, Café Crazy, has recently been published by Kelsay Books. She is reviewer, blogger, and photographer. She is a former English teacher. She lives in NYC.