AMANDA JOSHUA
Nyctalopia
7:32pm we walked out of that Asian food court you like so much
You told me ‘I can’t see well in the dark after I’ve been in a bright room’
‘It takes my eyes a while to adjust’
7:33pm decided I wanted to be so lucky
I got to walk ahead of you in every hallway
turn on every light
You told me your dad has night blindness too
You hold his hand to his room sometimes
‘Don’t want him to trip over the shoes we leave lying around’
Suddenly, a new-found fascination with the floor
Tugging you away from uneven paths, raised pavements
small rocks, a telephone pole
You laughed at that one, told me ‘I’m not blind blind’
Since you left, been wanting to tell you
Can’t see very well in this dark
After being in your bright room
been taking my eyes a while to adjust
wanted to hold your hand to the bathroom in the night
didn’t want you to stub your perfect toes on the dresser