Snooze Alarm

Early morning mental soup

ashen light seeps in, just barely,

muscles relax, sigh into crevices 
of my night-warmed mattress.

Elbow curls into covers just so,

feet, naked as a newborn’s have arrived 
of their own free will at this hollow between sheets,
finally warm, settled, and still.

Impervious to my husband’s snores,

my long arm emerges, squashes

the alarm clock once more,

my respite is unspoiled.

My cat arrives, perches upright on my hip,

nudges my sleepy wrist, willing it to live.

He curls around cozily, pins

my arm with the sheet.

Now, I want out.

 ©2016 Donna Jo Wallace