Stairs

We keep climbing these stairs, going up, up, up.

But going up does not mean we are going anywhere.

We keep climbing because where else is there to go?

These stairs go on forever, and we keep climbing.

Climbing up, up, up, higher and higher.

What's at the top?

We never reach the top of

These infinite stairs.

So what would happen if we decided to go down?

This spiral staircase, crawling up into the ends of the universe,

If there is nowhere else to go, we must make somewhere to go.

What happens when we turn around?

What happens if we fight against the

Crushing wave coming up the stairs?

Why, then we might be going somewhere.

Do we have to keep climbing?

To work to keep up with the others climbing these stairs.

We are not falling down these stairs.

We are not falling behind.

But we have found another way out.

Perhaps a more difficult way than going with the rest,

But we always have more than one way off of these stairs.

Sleep

Kissing your smile, I snuggle farther into your embrace. It is so warm here, encircled by your arms, and I smile myself. You kiss my smile, and tuck your head under my chin. I curl around you and you are warm inside the protection of my arms. We are content in our embrace under the covers, our bodies pressed close, and though we sleep we are not too warm, and because of each other we are are not cold either. I want to stay this way forever, as do you, but eventually we will be forced into our cold world again, to deal with ever-so-pressing issues when we would rather be back in bed together. It is nice, for a while, to feel each other. Although we would always rather be asleep with one another, our love is still the sun on a snowy day, making the snowflakes dance and sparkle, and bringing your springtime.

For Theo.