Into Midnight

He read the lines

She sent from Chile,

Again and again and again

As Omar played time into midnight,

He read as if searching for her

Behind each letter,

Beside each word,

For some crazy reason

Bacall, Bergman, Bogart,

Rolled through his mind,

And as the candle flickered

The lines she sent from Chile

Slowly danced him to the music into midnight.

Stephen Nesbitt ©