Lullaby

WHEN THE MOON'S greyish grimace is looming
And the willows have started to weep,
When the nightshade the night is perfuming,
It’s your bedtime. Go to sleep.

In the darkness, all creatures are stirring.
To your bedside they’re trying to creep.
When they’re ready to eat, they start purring.
It’s your bedtime. Now sleep.

Have you worried that nobody loves you?
It’s a world where most creatures have teeth.
In the daylight, they’re kind,
But at night they’re inclined
To reveal what they feel underneath.

Every creature has favorite dishes
And I have a promise to keep.
You’re so beautiful, soft, and delicious –
And so tired. So tired. Sleep.

– 10 May 2012