The night whispers its secrets to me, the scent of sizzling beef upon the air, weaving through the currents of light and shadow, the streets empty of sadness, filled with the pure joy of the evening, the air caresses my face, dipping a talon into the pool of the night sky, pulling a star from the never-ending curtain above my head, shaking a feather into the dreams of the early risers, the night owls up and about, grasping the edge of the sky to pull in a full section of the dark blanket of cloud, softly speaking its mind to the earth, a single kiss upon the brow, blowing away the fear and bringing forth the courage buried beneath my skin, breathing life into a once-dead and hollow casing of silver lining; where was the moon when the stars cried for days, where was the sun when the moon spun a tale of strange worlds; I wonder what the sky has in store for me, as my eyes follow the paths of pale starlight upward, the lights of the city swallowing the scents and sounds of the night into one huge vacuum; what will become of the small flame within me, burning, a melting candle, softly and warmly in the small alcove in my heart; what secrets will find their way there and stay a while, I wonder.