The Middle of the Night

By: Karla Kuskin

This is a song to be sung at night

When nothing is left of you and the light

When the cats don't bark

And the mice don't moo

And the nightmares come and nuzzle you

When there's blackness in the cupboards

And the closet and the hall

And a tipping, tapping, rapping

In the middle of the wall

When the lights have one by one gone out

All over everywhere

And a shadow by the curtains

Bumps a shadow by the chair

Then you hide beneath your pillow

With your eyes shut very tight

And you sing

"There's nothing sweeter than

The middle of the night.

I'm extremely fond of shadows

And I really must confess

That cats and bats don't scare me.

Well, they couldn't scare me less

And most of all I like the things

That slide and slip and creep."

It really is surprising

How fast you fall asleep.