Evening

by Elizabeth G. Howard

The dark doesn’t frighten me.
Evening is the softest word,
A velvet garment for the day’s
Transition into night.

The dark doesn’t frighten me.
Especially with the gloom of rain,
Night arrives as a rowdy
Aunt shaking off droplets
Hurtling apologies.

The dark does not frighten me --
She owns the twilight and makes
Lightning more electric. Thunder
And she are my lullaby.