Goodnight Moon,” Mark Brenner

Goonight Moon

Mark Brenner

That’s us reading Goodnight Moon. Those are your yellow SpongeBob pajamas, and that’s your little brother’s stinky blue blanky. There we are saying goodnight to the moon again.

Three of us. Outside—cold and dark. Stay here, boys. That’s you laughing at the cow jumping over the moon. Those are your last sips of water. There you two visit the bathroom again, scampering down the hallway. That’s your little brother climbing over you, back into your car bed. There you are pointing at the two little kittens. That’s us whispering “hush.” There you are, tugging your ear and closing your eyes. There we are hugging goodnight. Goodnight dirty socks and underwear. Goodnight doggie and kitty and mommy. Goodnight Legos and Lincoln Logs. Goodnight Buzz and Woody. There I am, looking in your old bedroom, looking out at the moon alone, Grey, rocky, and dark, waxing crescent— Goodnight my boys.