Softly the evening closes around me
As the residents of my household
Settle in to sleep;
But, as tired as I am,
I'm in no hurry
To find my own bed.
I heard the owls hooting
From the trees atop the hill
When I let the dogs in from outside,
And the frogs were amazingly loud
For such a cool night;
Nature's children are seeking
One another
As God intended.
There is a sense
Of sweet expectancy
To this night.
Some would wonder why
I linger when I know
He awaits me in my dreams?
But I tarry for the simple reason
That he isn't real
Except for those precious hours
Between sleeping and awakening,
Leaving me bereft
And alone,
Without even his scent on a pillow
To remember him by.