Rising Darkness

They say hope rises

but what about the darkness

She barges in with the changing of time

and madness of March

unannounced carrying her grandma’s luggage

commanding me to attention

with her long sharp claws and jagged teeth

I lay still next to her

afraid to move

I pray to ignore her and

wake up to the light

It never works

She silently screams in my ear

“LISTEN TO THE NIGHT”

The tension in my eyes loosens a bit

my jaws unclench my shoulders fall an inch

What do you want from me? I ask

Her whispers turn gentle

compassion

I know the sun will rise

but the darkness is rising too

I carry her into the morning light

bruised, battered, confused

and maybe a little more

Awake