At Our Town’s Two Traffic Lights

sometimes I picture them,
our town’s two traffic lights—
they blink out of sync
red green yellow
all through the night
though theoretically
they might
take a break
when it gets late
knowing
as they do
that rarely is it
when you
or I or any of the neighbors
wake in the night
and dress to drive
or stroll by
either of our corners
to check on them
visit to see how they are, ask
if they are weary of
their long work in the dark.
No, we stay in our beds
where we sleep and dream
or wake and think
The sheep we count wander
into the street—
picture their white wooly selves
bathed in red green yellow
so glad to not be alone in the night
Together, they look up
with their illuminated selves
and marvel at the lights while they blink