3: 33 A.M. Poem by RIC BASTASA

i waited for this moment
and it has come, this awakening,
of your mind, you and i, still waking up,
when the rest of the world
is sleeping, this is the moment,
i will seize it,
like the way the chameleon
strikes the approaching fly
with its tongue

you ask me, 'are you still awake, sir? '
and i answer, ' yes, i slept early last night'

on the surface of things
there is this shallowness in our casualness
you only see my shirt and notice the particulars
at first glance: color, shape, the sound of my voice,
the posture of the person
against the window
amidst the morning light

how can we trap the inner cravings?
what about me? and what about you?
the reason why thoughts wake up
because they have been unsaid
wanting to breathe
and be in the open

surely, i still have many words to say
and to keep
to write them, like opening a bottle of champagne
removing the cork finally

and you will be trembling with the sound
of popping out of letting go
what was trapped so beautifully inside
the bottle
but it will only be for a while

soon you will taste the flavor
of the sparkle and i hope you wil soon like it