I went out in the night
James B. Nicola

I went out in the night
and looked at you
and you looked at the moon
and said There’s a light
reflected from the sun


Then I looked at the lake
and said
There’s a light
reflected
from the moon


Then you looked at me
and said There’s the light
from the lake in your face
—Really?
—Yes
It’s under your chin
—Like a buttercup?
—Yes
On your lips
There’s the lake
in your eyes!


Then I looked at you
and I saw myself
and the lake
and the moon
and the sun


And we
sat
and were still
awhile


Originally published in Willow Review, 2018