The Night
by Samantha Buckman
I lay down in my bed
Frozen, unmoving
A steady thunder in my ears
Boom. Boom.
A rush of blood within my body
The steady pounding of my heart
It’s so dark, save for the moon
A watchful eye in the sky
Dull, cold, barely glowing
Weaker than the sun, yet part of it
A small reflection of daylight warmth
The night traveler’s guide
With stardust for company
But no moon is so bright
As to reveal the apparitions
My eyes are still wide
Watching the moon radiate
Positioned right outside my window
Just beyond the curtains
But the glass is pulled up
Arms and starlight stretch from heaven
The fingers of ice wrap around me
Taking hold of a warm summer wind
A clever disguise
Until the ghost obscures the gentle light
Drifting in front of a midnight landscape
Whistling, wavering
Just a translucent glimmer
Then the wind stops
And my curtains return to stillness
An owl calls
I’m glad to know I share the night
My heart not beating alone
Eyes wide, body still, awe filled
Except for a steady rise and fall
Each breath a precious gift
A thought of mine as curiosity spins
Wondering is much louder than any heartbeat
When I’m a soul awake
Watching out my window
Life is all too simple at night
Just the life sustaining heartbeat
The rise and fall of each breath
And the sparkling sky of diamonds
With the choice to close your eyes in doubt
Pull the covers over your head when frightened
Cry in silence, unnoticed when hurt
And whisper your thoughts aloud, to yourself, without judgment
If this were true
Then I would be one less waking soul each night
One less trespasser in the witching hour
One less watching the unblinking eye
One less listening to the silent roar of midnight
And before fatigue pulls me under
And I resign myself to sleep
I feel the stars cradle my body gentle
Telling me to dream
Frozen, unmoving
A steady thunder in my ears
Boom. Boom.
A rush of blood within my body
The steady pounding of my heart
It’s so dark, save for the moon
A watchful eye in the sky
Dull, cold, barely glowing
Weaker than the sun, yet part of it
A small reflection of daylight warmth
The night traveler’s guide
With stardust for company
But no moon is so bright
As to reveal the apparitions
My eyes are still wide
Watching the moon radiate
Positioned right outside my window
Just beyond the curtains
But the glass is pulled up
Arms and starlight stretch from heaven
The fingers of ice wrap around me
Taking hold of a warm summer wind
A clever disguise
Until the ghost obscures the gentle light
Drifting in front of a midnight landscape
Whistling, wavering
Just a translucent glimmer
Then the wind stops
And my curtains return to stillness
An owl calls
I’m glad to know I share the night
My heart not beating alone
Eyes wide, body still, awe filled
Except for a steady rise and fall
Each breath a precious gift
A thought of mine as curiosity spins
Wondering is much louder than any heartbeat
When I’m a soul awake
Watching out my window
Life is all too simple at night
Just the life sustaining heartbeat
The rise and fall of each breath
And the sparkling sky of diamonds
With the choice to close your eyes in doubt
Pull the covers over your head when frightened
Cry in silence, unnoticed when hurt
And whisper your thoughts aloud, to yourself, without judgment
If this were true
Then I would be one less waking soul each night
One less trespasser in the witching hour
One less watching the unblinking eye
One less listening to the silent roar of midnight
And before fatigue pulls me under
And I resign myself to sleep
I feel the stars cradle my body gentle
Telling me to dream
Samantha Buckman's poem won second place in the poetry division of the Frederick County Young Authors Contest.