Spirit Lingering – #Shadorma

Down she treads
In ivory chemise,
Steps muted.
The spirit puts
Her pale lips
To the sleeping babe’s forehead,
Wishes gentle sleep.

This was written for Colleen Chesebro’s Tanka Tuesday #137, Kind and Shift (synonyms are in bold). I took what I believe may be a weird route for shift: in the 1800’s, a shift was a sort of petticoat. So I made the petticoat/shift/chemise the star of this shadorma, the wearer of said article a kind spirit that wishes well those that live in her home.

Or does she?

The picture, as far as I can tell, is in the public domain because of its age.