Curled in the plastic desk chair
Night Stretched
Back Cramped
Gentle tap on knee

The offer

Two thirds of a night
in an ugly green chair
bed
in a plastic cover

Thin matress
thinner blankets
cold metal frame
fighting back

The long cold night
a little less foreboding
for the kindness
of the ugly green chair

From the kindness of one mother
nurse
caretaker
to another mother
both watching over
small sleeping waif