Midnight Lullaby
by Michael R. Burch
I.
A measureless rhythm rules the night—
few have heard it,
but I have shared it,
and its secret is mine.
To put it into words
is as to extract the sweetness from honey
and must be done as gently
as a butterfly cleans its wings.
But when it is captured, it is gone again;
its usefulness is only
that it lulls to sleep.
II.
So sleep, my love, to the cadence of night,
to the moans of the moonlit hills'
bass chorus of frogs, while the deep valleys fill
with the nightjar’s shrill, cryptic trills.
But I will not sleep this night, nor any …
how can I—when my dreams
are always of your perfect face
ringed by soft whorls of fretted lace,
framed by your tear-drenched pillowcase?
"Midnight Lullaby" has been set to music by the award-winning New Zealand composer David Hamilton.
Keywords/Tags: lullaby, lullabies, music, musical, song, child, children, childhood, baby, babies, midnight, night, rhythm, sleep
An unclear image moved swiftly by
Briefly seen from the corner of my eye.
A rumbling upstairs made my heart pump,
Downstairs in the dark—thump, thump, thump.
This house suddenly seemed to come alive,
The chills enveloped, I pulled my blanket up high.
The movements and sounds—I just heard something fall,
I peeked from my blanket to see the bounce of a ball.
I slunk to the floor and crawled toward the door,
Silent and still, my heart pounding once more.
It just charged down the hall in a wild, playful race—
Then yipped with delight and licked my face!
My puppy at play in the dead of night,
Turns out the scare was no match for his bite.
Last night we danced in sweet romance,
we burned like the midnight sun.
Your wanton kiss was utter bliss,
our hearts fused, then beat as one.
By candle-light I held you tight,
lust played our favorite song.
Our bodies moved, sizzled and grooved,
seduction's magic so strong.
Our two minds raced as my lips traced
the smooth contours of your skin.
Fingers kneaded as eyes pleaded
for hunger to glide on in.
Burning, shining, redefining
the power that pleasure holds.
Deep and slow, two bodies aglow,
our rhythm was liquid gold.
Desire ached as our flesh baked
and ecstatic rivers flowed.
Our bodies screamed and our eyes gleamed,
for delirium... We rode!
The love you gave, the love I crave
reached inside and made me whole.
Each sated breath, each little death
hurt so much it healed my soul.
Bright Moonlight
To capture moonlight in your palm
Forever hold the lunar sun
A double gift from nature’s kind
God’s day and night for everyone
When midnight is a raven black
The velvet night in silence shows
A luminous and bright midnight
A heart at peace when beauty glows.
Cicadas hum a bright midnight
An unhealthy martyr mindset
As woven with the darkest threads
vulnerability and strength
The spirit has been rekindled
Place the weight on the weighing pan
find balance in the imbalance
Sunrise - it's completely silent
I word the blood that freed our land
breathing opens minds which are
partly insane
popping midnight blue on cue
splattering palms moist
hoisting what is true
onto blank page as unhealed rage
this theatre an expanded oyster
Pearl becoming translucent
¥¥
glows pink silver the waiting Pearl to hurl
theatre seats are empty cold
rage evaporating with poverty
Truth speculatively mature
palms wrinkled warmly
cool blue a crying sky afar surfing
insanity protected his Heart
my blood runs a River of Stories
~~~~~~~~~
Because death is the only thing that could have ever kept him from you. ~Ally Carter
midnight thunderstorm
the low rumble of thunder~
our bed half empty
Clandestine rendezvous beneath the moon.
Sweet kisses gently swayed by undercover serenades.
Hush the covert fling’s asleep.
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
A piece evoking heartbreak, initiation, and resilience through friendship.
Relating to a club which may not exist in the literal sense, but exists in the spiritual.
A club for those who have felt broken, but lifted by others who have probably been through the same rituals linked to heartbreak.
Title.
Are you a member of The Midnight Losers Club?
(A lone voice whispers)
I joined last night
Went through the initiation
Got my heart broken in two
Took proof
Showed them all on the big screen
A picture of my ex-husband smiling as I stood crying
Now I wear the secret brand under my right sleeve in French.
Une fois brisés, nous nous relevons grâce à l'amitié
Car nous sommes membres du Midnight Losers Club
(Once broken but we rise through friendship
For we are members of The Midnight Losers Club)
(C) Copyright John Duffy
Clandestine rendezvous beneath the moon.
Sweet kisses gentle swayed by undercover serenades.
Hush the covert fling’s asleep.
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
They, without a trace of shame,
painted their hearts with the crimson blood of their lovers’ lips.
And I… my only share was the cold blue of the moon,
spilled carelessly,
like a tear severed from the sky,
upon my cheeks.
Those drops sank into the ridges of my heart,
painting my eyes with a lifeless gleam,
and the moon’s quiet sorrow wound through my soul
at 3 A.M.,
before I surrendered to sleep.
I was fragile beneath the blade of the sun,
and the conqueror of stars
that dared not draw near.
Those minuscule gaps,
the dripping from the tap,
that soon became the sea between you and me
My fading glow, with the things I didn’t know.
How you’d take my years as your sign to go.
But am I ever in your head, dead of night, in your bed?
Do your hands still reach for the phone?
Does your head hold the regret of all the seeds you could’ve sown?
Because
every time I see your face, trace your name and start the chase
I recall how you left me
and how you left me
Alone.
Waking in the palm of your hand,
A universe of spinning worlds unfolds—
Neon dreams and ancient lore,
From jungle beats to mythic shores.
No app downloads, just instant play,
HTML5 magic on your way—
Free spins dance, multipliers soar,
Jackpots rising, evermore.
Scroll through themes and epic tales,
From glittering gems to pirate sails.
Every tap—a pulse, a thrill,
Responsive beats that never still.
Trust the vault, the licensed gate,
Secure and fair, with healthy restraint.
Set your spin, respect the game—
Responsible fun, the core’s the same.
Play the demo first, feel the spark,
A teaser’s glimpse before you embark.
From mobile slot adventures at UnionSlots with Starburst’s glow
To Rainbow’s gleam where winnings flow.
So spin the night on mobile beams,
Let bonus rounds fuel your schemes.
In shrinking screens, vast worlds reside—
Mobile slots in the UK where fortune and fun collide.
Sun's swimming low
diamonds in the waves
heart out with the tide
lost between a mountain and a molehill
Chasing the night
sky's got no stars
moon hiding high
trying to outrun what's been done
tires spinning on gravel roads
the engine roars
filling the space between
dead and dying
MIDNIGHT MUNCHIES! I’M IN A TERRIBLE JAM….
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At midnight, my stomach grumbled
With snacks in the pantry, I fumbled
On the shelves high and low,
Chocolate cookies. Say no!
But tripped on my cat and then tumbled!
Toward the fridge I tiptoed with glee,
For it holds a treasure trove for me.
There's a jar of sweet jam, tight
I’m stuck with tasteless yam, terrible plight!
With spoon and my cravings, an eating spree!
Oh, the brownies were calling my name.
They ‘made me’ lose the dieter’s game.
Each chocolate bite I took,
My belly constantly shook,
Now my waistline will never be the same!
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