The surrounding darkness

It glows in the night

And silence is her cloak

Save for the distant sounds

Of Arabic coming from the porch

Across the street at 2am

A neighbor speaks to loved ones

On the other side of  the world

Afraid to awaken his house mates

Not worried for me in mine

This is a single evening

Lying awake in the forbidden hours

Waiting for sleep to chase me down

Knowing it probably won’t come

But a man can dream

Unless he’s awake.