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1)
Night
tossing from this side to that
weariness spread through me
Why linger, waiting
for sleep that never comes?
I turned inward,
beginning to dig deep within
Digging and digging
lost in thought,
the sky paled
Dawn had arrived.
Let me see
two lines of verse,
four trembling drops of tears
emerged.
I cupped them gently
into my hands
Keeping the tears for myself
I shared the poem.
2)
Eyelids closed
I lay like that
until midnight
But sleep
lost along some winding path
strayed and got trapped in thorns
Memories long forgotten
came chasing me
Some wins
some losses
I began counting
which outweighed the other
Before clarity could dawn
morning arrived
I closed the book of numbers
smoothed my side
and let it go.
3)
Legs and wings folded close
I lay still.
Sleep, a trickster
came this way,
then that way,
and vanished.
Behind closed eyes
a pinch of slumber,
a handful of wakefulness
I drifted between them.
What could I do
before anything resolved
Dawn arrived quietly
4)
Tired eyes
I gave them some rest
shut my lids,
and lay down.
Tick… ticks… tick…
Time kept moving on.
No trace of drowsiness
no hint of sleep.
Sleep reached my doorway
stood silently on the threshold
Who will call it in?
Is it night… or darkness…?
After wandering long
I am drained.
No strength to open my eyes
no will to stretch my hands
Like stone
I lay motionless.
Darkness and night
stood beside me
companions
soothing my stillness.
Within me
blood flows on
breath keeps moving.
Nothing waits for anyone
The journey must continue
A moment sooner or later
Dawn will not hold back.
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Image Copyright - Varala Anand |
