Give it half an hour, then get up…’
Nearly there in twenty minutes,
…but not quite.
‘Give it another half hour.’
Then it’s, ‘Don’t try!’
But I try too hard not to try.

Then they softly tiptoe in, whispering!
‘Why did you…?’
and ‘Have you…?’ 
…until 2.30am!

I get pissed off with squirming and
shuffling and fling out of bed.
Curse back at the wife who curses me
and stumble downstairs.

Cool air and silence on the back step.
Smoke in my lungs, I relax.
Then the, ‘What is…’ and ‘What if…’
Start playing again.
‘Shut up, Barry,’ I shout to the darkness
and retreat to my chair, with a mug of tea…
…but they are still there.

Back on the step again, cig in hand.
‘What’s t’worst that’ll happen?
Appalled… ‘Bloody Hell!!’

Then it happens.
Something happens.
Dawn’s light separates tree from sky.
Tomorrow happens…
… ‘And I’m still here, alive!!

© Barry Fox