when the lights went out

and when the lights went out

the oven turned off, the room went dark.

we called to one another and the dog

barked as she chased an imaginary rabbit.

the cookies were already spooned onto the 

cookie sheet 

the heat of the oven, the darkness

oppressive, 

so quiet.

and when the lights came on,

the cookies reappeared and the oven light

glowed orange, the lights hummed,

cyclists raced across the TV screen

and S called to me to come,

to come and see where we would

travel next year.