Going to Bed
by George Bilgere
I check the locks on the front door
and the side door,
make sure the windows are closed
and the heat dialed down.
I switch off the computer,
turn off the living room lights.
I let in the cats.
Reverently, I unplug the Christmas tree,
leaving Christ and the little animals
in the dark.
The last thing I do
is step out to the back yard
for a quick look at the Milky Way.
The stars are halogen-blue.
The constellations, whose names
I have long since forgotten,
look down anonymously,
and the whole galaxy
is cartwheeling in silence through the night.
Everything seems to be okay.
"Going to Bed" by George Bilgere, from Haywire. Read the Writer's Almanac here.
I love this poem--and love, love, love the Writer's Almanac particularly and Garrison Keillor generally. This inspires me to look into getting it as a podcast.
ReplyDeleteBe well, do good work, and keep in touch.
PS that's me, Beth P! Elizabeth comes from my google account and sounds so formal!
ReplyDeleteHi Beth! I totally fell in love with this poem when I saw it last week -- I'm so glad you like it, too!
ReplyDeleteI get the Writer's Almanac by email, but hearing GK read it is much nicer. Maybe I need the podcast, too!
Writer's Almanac! Whenever I get a bit wigged out, I play three or four podcasts in a row and presto: much better. Something about that man's voice - if only they could bottle baritone.
ReplyDeleteAll the merriest!
That sounds like brilliant home therapy!
ReplyDelete