Poetry

Small Hours

Ashley Martin

Always the same dream, it pleases me:
Narcissus in his favorite sport coat
reading his favorite lyric poet,

“it is fitting and just,” he says
adding, “dignus et justum est”

because he is a spiritual fellow, and laughs
looking at me, because I am he and he is me
and my own jokes are funny, to me

before I am startled by the sun,
like my husband, very near,
breathing on me,

not a reflection. The real thing
moving into tomorrow.
Luminous. Like the clock.

Ashley Martin