nocturnal anxieties

in the background
a dog is barking
the moon and stars
and the rest of the night
remain silent
except for the sound
of someone crying
softly
as though trying
not to disrupt
the stillness

she feels the moon, stars
and the whole of night
pressing down on her
judging her tears
but still, they come
and she wonders
if she will
ever find a way
to let go
of the longing for a life
that does not exist