In the minutes before I fell asleep
I suddenly discovered perfect happiness
I found it in your breathing
the subdued rise and fall of your chest
As I lay circled in your arms
In the silence that surrounded us
I heard and felt only you
sleeping next to me
The grasp of your fingers,
entwined with mine
embodied my perfect joy
My nerves lay awake and aware
of an unforeseen warmth
a slow understanding crawled into me
I realized it was your skin against mine
softly breathing with me
I closed my eyes so I could see
this perfection in darkness
So I could feel this silent love
defining happiness for me
In those moments before dreams
began to cloud my quaint reality
I remembered how to fall in love again
listening to you breathe

Copyright: Renee Seymour, The Shades Between, 2024