Nighttime Rituals

2:30 AM, Dec. 14 2022

It’s my shift and I cannot sleep
my daughter rests peacefully beside me,
covered by a warm flannel shirt,
moments ago wrapped round us both,
the rest of the world must wait

We take turns
At 7, mom puts her to bed.
Then to 4AM its my duty to wake with her,
and soothe her back to sleep
usually, I get an hour or two of rest between!
Usually. Not tonight, but usually.

well before dawn she’ll be hungry
my tools’re smote to ash in my hands
in comes the cavalry (mom) for breakfast,
while I rest for a few uninterrupted hours,
in the other room.

then, breakfast,
then, work,
then, bathtime,
there and back again.

P.S. I did the dishes while insomnia did me in.