sleeping with penguins
quiet music from the room
the Penguin Café Orchestra
swinging something classical
through the open window
birds singing
I stand at the door
a soft sheet wraps her waist
against a breast
our new-born son
makes contented baby sounds
her milk trickles his chin
both are sleeping
I climb on the bed
lean my head
against
and put my lips
to
her baby-free breast
the pasture scent
of our son’s head
the misty glaze
of perspiration
the music
the birdsong
her breathing
baby’s purring
an intoxication
caught in the music
I close my eyes
and picture dancing
and more than dancing
I am pirouetting
with an exaltation of strangers
I hug them
they hug me
we laugh together
we sweat together
I drift to sleep
Horace Silver’s
Mexican Hip Dance
wakes me
mother and baby have not stirred
I slide from the bed
Sunday morning
life is sweet
© coolhermit 2023
Views: 822
Very rosy side of life we all yearned for at some point or another. Also sleeping with penguins is much better than sleeping with the fishes.
Nostalgia will grab your audience with this is you perform it, but it would also be good in you upcoming book.
This may go in next year’s book – doubt it will work well as a performance piece – will trot it out and see 🙂