THE SMELL OF THE LIGHT

Tilly tells me
she 'adores'
the smell of the light

watches intensely as I
fiddle with the wick of
our battered kerosene lamp

I smile as her eyes light up
love how she loves
everything with a passion

'Adore' is her
new-found
much-used-word

so now she 'adores'
the rich ritual of
lighting the lamp

and all
its accordant
magic

Hand in hand we
scatter the darkness
that snarls

and reluctantly
backs away but
then creeps back

behind us
its tongue lapping
at us

licking its lips
as if it would
swallow us up

but is afraid
of the smelly
light

the wind
tries to
blow us out

scared she
clutches me
all the tighter

"I don't like the way
the light makes
the darkness darker!"

her voice shivers
I catch her up
in the crook of my arm

she cuddles closer
as we walk on
towards the barn

adrift
in a sea
of darkness

we the only speck
of light
no stars tonight

we
the light
of the world

the pregnant cow
lowing as if
it knows we're coming

Tilly nuzzles
into me
a frightened little mouse

jumping when an owl
demands of us
"Who...who...who?"

"Your chest is too
tickly!"
she complains sleepily

"Ah. . .yes my
little chickadee!"
I W. C. Fields her

this never
ceases to
amuse her

our intertwined laughter
and the smell of the light
dispelling the darkness

the pregnant cow
delighted
to see us