Shelter

At night, when she sleeps,
I trace my finger on the slope of her shoulder to her side.
Her slow, soft breathing brings me peace.

Outside our window, the world tears itself apart,
Whirling into a crescendo of madness.
The storm is coming, we can feel it,
But we don’t know where it will hit or when.

Yet here in our room, we are safe.
There are no sides to take in the vanishing space between us,
Pressed together, colors blending into one.
Let this small piece of earth be the start
Of the peace we seek in the world.
Together our dreams will weave a canopy
To shelter us from the maelstrom beyond our door.

The thunder crashes and lightning illuminates the room.
I turn to her, place an arm around her side, pull her into me.
She murmurs, laughs to herself, and returns to sleep,
Beckoning me to follow.