LITTLE NOISES (of Mikey)
I miss the little noises—

Shifting in his bed at night,
Gentle snoring; muffled ‘dream talk’,
His whispered ‘whine’ at bedside to wake me up…
The ‘chirping’ sounds he made when begging orange slices!
Those funny ‘exhales’ through his nose to get our attention…
The lap-lapping at his water bowl…
The tap-tapping of his nails on our floors -

The quiet is deafening now --
The heartbeat of our house has ceased,
and I have lost my rhythm.