Insomnia

Here we are in the middle of the night awake,

A walk to the bathroom in the dark,

Feeling our way through doorways,

Trying not to fall, trying not to hurt,

Like an eternity is our brief passage,

Starting so slowly and ending too quickly,

Eons we slept unbothered in shadow,

In the middle of this night we are awakened,

Yawning and startled we stand,

Playing our part, while yearning for sleep,

We can’t seem to sleep, why can’t we sleep?

Now is our time to shine—reluctantly—

Unwilling to lay down this script,

We stride the stage to the applause,

Or is it only the toilet running?

Is that the world clapping for us,

Or is it simply the water flowing?

Pause and reflect upon this sweet moment,

While you are awake and cannot sleep.

Rub your eyes and do not yearn too much,

Sleep will come again to close them.