You had a nightmare so you crawl into our bed
folding your little body tight against mine
as if the nightmare
is still trying to find a way in
you tell me all about it
and I put a tutu on the monster
which makes you laugh
finally you fall back asleep
but all parts of you are still wrapped around me
and even though I can’t possibly sleep this way
I pull you in tighter
just in case nightmares
do look for cracks
and I wait
with a quiet vigilance
until the sun gets hoisted up
rubbing all the darkness away.