lavender eyelids droop,
belying her exhaustion.
tiny wails of protest in my ear.
she fights sleep with balled fists,
lets out yawns bigger than herself,
rubs at big cerulean eyes.
her head hits my shoulder,
reaching around my neck
to hold on as sleep arrives.
i sink into the rocking chair,
a small sigh let out in my hair.
my heart is so full of her
i can’t imagine anything more.