64

On the slope of the creek I ask her "Where are you going, hiding your flashlight with your coat?

My house is all dark and lonesome, lend me that light."

She raised her dark eyes for a moment and looked at my face through the dusk

"I've come to the creek" she said

"to shine my flashlight on the animals in the water when it gets dark."

It got darker, and I asked again if she would bring her light to my house

'cause there were no animals in the water

There was nothing living, moving

She said "I'm gonna shine it on the sky, it will reach a star."

I watched her shine the light uselessly into the sky

And in the moonless gloom of midnight

I asked her why she held the light still, close to her chest

"My house is all dark and lonesome", I said

"lend me your light."

"I need it to walk home with" she said

"I can't see in the dark, like a cat"

And I watched her light get lost among the trees and into the lights of the houses