Waking From a Late Nap

The evening scent unfurls
blue banks of iris,
sharp green cut grass
and almost black
charring burgers.

Spring dreams slide away
with the neighbors’ cat

jumping on my bed
then out the back door.

Clouds still rain-full
shift into darkness
dotted with streetlights,

distant traffic lullabies
sing their way through
new-leafed sweet gums,

while peonies prepare
their pink explosions
for morning.