Late Thoughts

This lamp throws shadows like webs on the ceiling of my room.
I am lying here,
Stretching my hand into the light,
To see if I can make my fingers
Look like gauze.
But I can’t get the angle right.
Their shadows are too decided,
Too edged
To fit into the web.

This lamp is old,
Made of brass.
It’s one of those touch-lamps,
That has three settings,
So (with just a touch!)
I can make the ceiling web look Dark—mysterious and incomplete.
The second setting is the best,
That web is Golden, hints of shadows on the very outskirts
Of the web—
Or, with the third setting,
The web gets Bright and Stark.
The third setting is my least favorite.
It is only fit for house cleaning…
Or when I am desperately searching for my favorite earrings
In the jumbled pile on my dresser.
The third setting is harsh,
Despite the “softer light” bulbs that I put in there,
So I rarely use the third setting.

Mostly, I use the middle one.
The web looks better when there’s darkness nearby.