“Mama, tell me the truth. How long is a night?” Oh my dear one, you bear such wisdom for your years. A night is as long as the ocean is wide. And it is as deep. And it holds just as many wonders waiting to be explored. A night is as long as the sky is high. And it covers over all of us. And it holds us just the same. A night is as long as a thousand stories, each one waiting for you to join and to take your part. A night is as long as all of the nights before it whenever we are apart and as short as the blink of an eye when I think about how much you have grown. A night is as long as the colors of your dreams and all of the magical lands waiting for you there. A night is as long as the song that I sing, the one I wrote just for you to carry you into sleep. That is how long a night is, my heart. Now close your eyes and in the morning when you wake I will be right here. - for Amanda Palmer and her son, with thanks for the wonderful question