Got a Light?
The two of them At night Across the street from each other Lit only by porch lights Cigarettes flick-flaring While the sirens gasp and the Stars and fog fight No waving hands Only the companionable screech Of frosted screen door hinges And silent mutual delight At exchanging clouds for Popsicle atmosphere Comfortable distance Without cups of sugar Collecting mail or Howdy neighbor Shared vice Two smiles as the lights go out No goodnight
I LOVE your drawing, VERY much 💕. It looks like a feeling I’ve been unable to identify/own
This poem feels like one of those tiny moments you catch out of the corner of your eye and never forget. There’s something so gentle and familiar in the way these two people share a night without ever speaking. The porch lights, the cigarettes, the fog it all feels like a quiet little world they both step into for a few minutes. I love how the poem shows connection without conversation, without expectations, just two people breathing the same cold air. The “comfortable distance” says everything; sometimes closeness doesn’t need words or gestures. Even the creak of the screen door feels like part of their unspoken routine. It’s such a simple scene, but it carries a warmth that sneaks up on you. By the end, the lack of a goodnight feels perfect the moment doesn’t need anything more than those two smiles fading into the dark.