Cycles

At night, silence awakens me.
No familiar sound of breath, no shifts,
I struggle not to fall into the
empty space I lie beside.

By day, I am stoic, professional;
Evenings bring doctors and large words
that I nod at and work to understand.
So brave, they think, but I pretend.

And when the door closes I cry
myself empty of my heart’s tears
and sleep, until once more,
silence awakens me.