it's late
and the night sings softly
a melody wrapped
         in ribbons
syncopated to our
                            beating heart
your sleeping beauty
     freed of the harries of the day
the secret smile you
 lock away
from the toils of daylight
         dances her way freely
    to your mouth and
across your face
      childlike again in
   the dark shelter of this bed
under the orange clouds of
      midnight sky
       and the hidden hours
between

  the sun will come
     dragging you
to the world again
 where the hours linger
like old meat
     the toils come
to collect their due
           and people are
                                 unkind

but i saw you
  while you slept

the soft orange clouds
          your sigh of my touch
    the younger shade of your heart
your secret smile
     your dancing lips

and the hidden hours
                               between