Redundant Circle

Night closes in
waking up early is the aging person's territory
4 AM thoughts and anxieties, unseasonably warm then cold
Caring and afraid, but counting blessings always

Life circles in
reliving that worst nightmare once again
That sense of knowing and not knowing
holding on to what matters, vulnerable to spring

Day dawns bright and promising
no clouds on the horizon
only the hint of a flower and kind offers to help
seizing on to the future promise

The story has been told before,
we all have our battles to fight
strategy to organize, days to plan
Taking for granted what we can't bear to lose, we are redundant

Love hugs if we let it in unexpected places
even through the interminable winter night
and the coldest, dreariest December day
the warmth finds the heart, at last

20 lines

entered in "Shadows and Light Poetry Contest"