in the silence of midnight
he watches her sleep
hears the sound of her tiny heart
like a thousand tiny clocks
beating
far off in the distance
to the rhythm of the sea
in the silence of midnight
he sees her tiny tummy
rise
and fall
with every gentle breath
like a butterfly
with nothing else to do
but soak up the warmth of the sun
in the silence of midnight
he holds her tenderly
cradling her in folded arms
he has love in his eyes
for she who warms even his coldest days
she who takes his breath away
and he knows that if he ever let go
that he would have no breath at all
in the silence of midnight
he imagines the life she will have
her whole life ahead of her
hopes and dreams undefined
and for a moment he hears her
nothing more than a whisper
echoing over the distant tide
in the silence of midnight