The One We Wake At Night For

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THE ONE WE WAKE AT NIGHT FOR


The white light scans us 

as we scan the shelves ourselves 


(4AM: refrigerators around the world.) 

And what in the half-awake world


have we stumbled here

in the dark to find, if nothing other 


than the flavors we can’t combine, 

the craving best called The One


We Wake At Night For? 

Rubbing our eyes to pierce


the cloud, we peer to define

the face of what has called us from beyond


our comforters, the nameless one

that twirls on our tongues 


in a place beyond the recipes

and cookbooks intent to seize


and itemize the perfect plate. It is 

supremely simple, this elusive taste—


just two ingredients make the dish:

1. Not that. 2. Not this. 

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