Another Night
Poem by Debbie Budnick
Art by Fernando Amaro Jr.

bright lights shimmer and dance

upon the fresh blanket of snow

a new day is born

            rejoice, be free to dream

            a little dream for me

slowly the day ticks by

giving you room to live, to breathe

to let go of your emotions

            for night's blackness will arrive

            soon with nightmares and him

            your emotions, your freedom, your life

            will end with his hands, his voice

you wait in silence

his entrance soon to arrive

with terror, with madness, with floods of tears

run away and hide, he follows

there is no escape, no peace

hide your emotions forever from him

            do as he says, you won't be hurt bad

            he demands your attention

            listen and obey him

            forever feeling trapped

            an invisible fence holding you within

you wait in silence praying

for the bright lights to shimmer and dance

through the window holding in

            the truths, the horror

                        of your insignificant life

pray and wait in silence

then maybe, just maybe, life will arrive

with the dawning of a new day

rejoice you made it through

another night of him