Couple Poem by RIC BASTASA

he wakes up on
a vivid nightmare

the way he crosses
the river against the

rage of the tide and
he sees her sleeping

and he wakes her up
and she listens about

the sound of the river
and the thunder and

the wind and the
flashes of lightning

inside his frightened
mind and she holds his

hands and raises them
for her to kiss and then

they talk like lovers again
and then they make love

sleep is as gentle as
the silky bedsheets and

the soft cotton pillows
on the monotony of the

sound of the air conditioned
room. And then it is morning

she opens the window
where a pale red curtain

filters the light that lands
on his eyes still soundly asleep.