A Little Dawn


a little dawn and then
the stars winked out one by one
leaving the dimming night
to cloak in blankets of baby blue
wispy cotton clouds for their pillows

hastily, i creep along
thumbing my nose at the now-dawning day
the crowning of light

no sun over the line yet
the dawn peels away the dregs of night,
that a rabid tingling begins
at the top of my scalp
running down my body, down my neck, shoulders
to the back of my thighs

the cool wind, a chill.

as dawn runners zip by in a sweat
it dawns on me
that dawn is you waiting.