Two Hours Before Dawn

It’s two hours before dawn, and I’ve slept through the night The rarest occurrence, but her footsteps come light She let me sleep soundly, and she let me dream free Before entering my bedroom and calling to me "Kurt, it’s Laura, she whispered, as she got into bed "Are you happy in the solitude alone in your head "Your spirit’s been truant but its voice I recalled "Wake up from your sleep and follow me down the hall "I’ve something to show you, so rub out your eyes "And see what you looked like as a boy about five" She led me straight down to the end of the hall The door was half open and my voice I heard call “Aunt Laura, my crayons have broken again “Aunt Laura, get ready, I’ve new words to begin “The ones that you left me, I now know by heart “And to Mother and Father I recited each part” The boy smiled at her, and she smiled back at him Before walking me back down to my room deep within “I’ve always been with you, you know it so clear “As your Muse I’ve been charged with your care all these years “You were young when I met you and took you by hand “Then to never abandon your voice as a man “Your days may come easy, and your days may come hard “But each night I’ll return —with new words from afar” (Villanova Pennsylvania: February, 2018)