Now Go To Sleep

“Now go to sleep,” her father said.

“Tomorrow will soon be today.”

But today was today and tomorrow not here.

She wanted today to stay.

-

Her day had been filled with laughter and light,

the morning with friends, afternoon in the park,

before dinner a swim, then after more play,

alive in each moment, no end to the day.

-

There were books to be read and thoughts to be had,

movies to watch, games to compete,

carrots to eat, candy to sneak,

balls to be thrown and jokes to repeat.

-

So much yet to live, from each dawn through to dusk,

so why close your eyes to the dark?

Why let the stars in to close out the sky?

Why let the night come with her absence of light?

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Tomorrow's unknown, a path through the dark,

down highways of dreams, forgotten by dawn,

Some other girl's life there in the bed,

lived out without knowing the adventures ahead.

-

The sun he had set, yet his smile did not fade,

his fingers of warmth still pointing the way.

so she climbed out her window to the tree alongside,

her back to the night, her face to the light.

-

She climbed up her tree with her back to the moon,

at the top the leaves rustled, waving her on.

She climbed up and up and into the sky

left her bedroom alone, her pillow behind.

-

The sun was still setting, still drifting away,

so she followed him over, chasing the day.

If she could follow the sun, stay in his warm light

she’d not meet the moon, stay out of her night.

-

Below in the dark all the lights were turned on,

cars with their headlights and window shades drawn,

sidewalks asleep and trees buttoned tight,

yards like bedsheets tucked for the night.

-

In the darkening fields outside of her town,

the daylight animals - chickens and cows -

returned to their barns and haypacked nests,

or huddled together safe by the fence.

-

The harder she swam, the faster night flew.

Chasing the sun, she was chased by the moon,

through the dark dusky dreams that mist up the air,

when the sun turns his face from the moon’s wide-eyed stare.

-

Past a city at night all its windows aglow,

winking at stars as the sun sunk below.

Above the whole world, day creatures asleep,

the night beasts all stirring, awake in the deep.

-

Below came the ocean, stroking the sand

then pulling away as if sad for the land.

There were whales in the depths, calling out sleep,

long lullaby songs in the shadowy deep.

-

Then a jungle at night, filled up with eyes.

Eyes in the dark, eyes to skies.

Every orchid just waiting, waiting for day,

Their petals and colors all tucked away.

-

Beyond was a desert, rustling with sand

mountains of grains whispering in wind,

Land yellow and sandy and dusty and dry,

still sunlight kissed at the horizon’s sky.

-

The sun was still falling, falling away,

so she skimmed across clouds, chasing the day.

She grabbed at the stars and flew past the deep.

Yet the sun he still pushed against soft gentle sleep.

-

Then down in the shadows she now saw was her town.

her father with coffee, and dew on the lawn.

The birds were astir in the tree by her room,

rustling feathers in nests, taking wing from night’s gloom.

-

She’d chased the sun 'round, all through the dark,

‘til up became dusk, ‘til down became dawn.

Now the night sunk in front and the moon down ahead.

She’d caught up with her sun, but he’d caught up behind.

-

With the sun now above she crawled back down her tree,

back into her bed and under her sheets.

Her eyes barely closed, a moment away,

Then they opened again, to tomorrow’s today.