Awake In Bed At 3:00 A.M.

Awake In Bed At 3:00 A.M.

A cold wind stealthily opens and closes
the screen door on the porch, but not to step in,
opening it only an inch as if leaving
a note in the jamb, something it wanted to
ask us, perhaps just the use of our phone to
call someone for help, not wanting to wake us
so early, but hoping we’d hear it and come
yawning to see who was standing out there
on the step, wearing only pajamas of snow.

Ted Kooser