wake up
splash water on your face
wash off the hushed, entangled dreams
perfumed with nostalgia and
old faces
wake up
try to wipe them away
but don’t rub your
skin, leave it tender,
not raw
wake up
don’t put on clothes yet
linger in this
place between slumber
and wakefulness
savor the sweet sun
warming the house
in subtle succession
hold onto the morning
wake up
rub your eyes
go through mechanical
motions
make the coffee
wake up
wait impatiently
for it to be done
once it is,
don’t hurry
sip it in
bring your nose to its scent
gather your stirred up
thoughts and feelings
gather them and
spread them down
like peanut butter
on your morning toast
let them be there
let them flavor your
day in many ways
unconscious
let them be there
wake up to
their musk
wake up
but leave them
where they lay