Chopping the Night

I sleep in a strange house tonight
with sounds, voices all its own

a quiet neighborhood, horses next door,
a snort, not traffic, awakens me

in the dark, faintly, a tongue clucks
down the hall

I shuffle out, see the flash
a brass pendulum swings

an axe chopping the night
in a half moon glow

I open the glass
and gently stop the violence