to ride this day down into night

This evening, I sat by an open window
and read till the light was gone and the book
was no more than a part of the darkness.
I could easily have switched on a lamp,
but I wanted to ride this day down into night,
to sit alone and smooth the unreadable page
with the pale gray ghost of my hand.

[Ted Kooser {1939- }, 'A Happy Birthday' from Delights and Shadows]