There is a quiet stillness
In the morning air, well before dawn,
Known only to thieves and insomniacs.

I am in my kitchen
And the air conditioner cycles off and on,
Off and on,
Marking time.
Outside, small predators keep me caged,
Forbidding me to join them.
This is their time,
Not mine.

I move quietly into a dark room,
And see the outline of a sleeping daughter.
She stirs, and mumbles
Something meaningful only to her dream-state.
I am charmed,
And lifted up,And I wonder if I have let her know
How much she fills my heart.

Holding at bay the worries of the day,
I give myself completely
To this moment of peace
That has landed unexpectedly around me,
Enfolding me in its broad, gentle wings.
And then it is gone.

There is a quiet stillness
In the morning air, well before dawn,
Known only to thieves and insomniacs,
And I am blessed to count myself among them.