Now and Now

Now and now the face a plastic bag
swollen and heavy with rubbish, sags
night and day into the quiet
a nothing tired, a nothing tired.

Now and now a kitten paws
almost painfully dead eyebrows.
Elizabeth, here is sleep.
She wakes me and is sorry.

My head is lifted by pulleys.
Now and now, between us
at last, miraculous
noise and sight and fresh colours.