There's a room. You've been in one like it before, even if you can't place exactly when. Green walls, warm air, a fireplace with the last bit of a fire still going.
A red balloon is tied to the bedpost. It turns slowly. Nobody put it there on purpose. It's just one of those things about this room.
On one wall there's a painting of a cow jumping over the moon. On the other, three little bears sitting in chairs. The pictures have been there so long the wallpaper behind them is a different shade.
Two kittens are curled up on the rug by the fire. They were chasing something earlier. They gave up. Now they're just two warm circles.
There are mittens drying on the hearth. Red ones, still damp from the snow. A bowl of something on the nightstand — just oats and milk, the kind of food that doesn't need you to think about it.
A mouse lives here too. She comes out in the evening and sits by the baseboard. The kittens don't bother her. They've worked that out between them.
And there's an old woman in the rocking chair. She's been rocking so long the floor has grooves. Every once in a while she says hush, real quiet, to nobody in particular.
So. Goodnight.
Goodnight room. You did your job today.
Goodnight moon, sitting fat and bright in the window.
Goodnight cow jumping over the moon. Goodnight to that whole idea.
Goodnight light. Goodnight fire that's mostly just glow now.
Goodnight bears. Goodnight chairs.
Goodnight kittens. Goodnight mittens, finally warm all the way through.
Goodnight clock on the mantle. Goodnight the ticking you can only hear when everything else stops.
Goodnight socks draped over the chair arm. The thick ones.
Goodnight little house.
Goodnight mouse, heading back behind the wall.
Goodnight nobody. Goodnight to the empty chair. You can just say goodnight to it and move on.
Goodnight mush. Just oats. Just exactly enough.
Goodnight to the old lady whispering hush.
Goodnight stars. Way too many of them. There they are anyway.
Goodnight air.
Goodnight noises everywhere. The house settling, the fridge, a dog somewhere down the street.
The fire's out. The kittens are asleep. The balloon stopped turning.
Moon's still there though.
Goodnight.
Hush.