My Night

My night was broken -
Split by the wail of
My baby's phantom cry.
Half asleep I stumbled
To the crib that stared at me.
Empty.

Awake.
Aware now,
I returned to my bed
With empty, aching arms.
I wondered,
As I hugged my pillow close,
And rocked myself to sleep,
If you were all right.
If you were truly crying.
If your cries had somehow traveled to me.
Or if those tears and cries
Were welling up
From a place deep within me
And spilling into my dreams.

-Anonymous