8/1/00

groggy quietness of an empty bed
I struggle to wake up
against images of recent dreams
that have already scattered out of reach

this is like waking to feed a baby
external demands to produce
blurry eyes and heavy comprehension
difficult to know where you exist
in the moment of recent
          wakefulness
or some other land out of focus

the house is quiet when they are
          away
not just the stillness of early
          morning
but the quietness of empty beds
no sound of others trying to
          sleep while I try to wake

the dog has given up
trying to convince me it is
          time to feed her
she has curled up against my back
soft brown warmth
she is my only companion
we are down to a pack of two