Safe in Bed

The sun had moved an hour through the sky, unknown to me, because I was asleep, awash in dark so deep, perhaps I’ll die. My body lies prepared to take the leap, a throw tucked tight, two pillows for support. I sleep at night, I sleep in day, I take a breath, I rise and walk, my life cut short. Dreamless, I sleep. I try to tame the snake with tiny prayers, as if a beast could hear, and still the squeeze. If I could be a leaf falling this fall, if I could disappear, the wind would steal me like a gentle thief. But I am waiting for another spring, and so I sleep and tend my broken wing.