Moonset

Jesse Doiron

March 19, 2023

I was old last night. 

Older today.

Let’s be young tomorrow.

Sleep till noon, 

and spend what’s left of day

doing silly things we might regret.

Let’s waste it.

Play against the odds.

Not care about the bet.

Or better still, just stay in bed,

and laugh about spilt coffee

and the breadcrumbs on our bellies.

We’ll giggle when we lick the jelly off,

and breathe heavily between the licks.

Kiss wetly with our sticky lips.

Shade our eyes in the slanting sun,

and look for something fun 

to do at dusk.

And when the last light of the wasted day

gives way to wasteful night—

we will as well.

At least, until the moon has set,

and young tomorrow ends.

Jesse Doiron spent 13 years overseas in countries where he often felt as if he were a “thing” that had human qualities but couldn’t communicate them. He teaches college in Texas, now, to people a third his age. He still feels, often, as if he is a “thing” that has human qualities but can’t communicate them.