"A Prisoner of the Night"

Gavin
Gateway Science Academy of St. Louis
St. Louis City, MO


I wake up and rise from the warmth of my threaded quilt, greeted by
a flooding light peering through the window, just managing to
squeeze past the patterned curtains, as if it were a prisoner
of the night.  Awashed in the brightness of the newborn
dawn I stare into the prison bars that I believe had
ensnared, had enslaved, the wonder that
encompasses me at this moment, and I
pull back the curtains, liberating more
invisible fire
providing vision
and warmth.
I lay back down,
as the drowsy
warm morning
air draws the quilt
back over my body.
I close my still-weary
eyes.  I can almost hear
the former captives inside my
room, frolicking, dancing, enjoying
their freedom while freedom lasts until
once more it becomes a prisoner of the night.