Monday, May 24th , 2004 : 7:30 p.m. pdt

poetry by Michael F. Nyiri

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"Insomniac Hours" red square numerals shining in the dark 10:00 closing eyes attempting rest but the lids flicker like the red square numerals on my back, cats cry in the night soothing sounds like cacophanous clatter eyes open red square numerals 11:00 shining mocking, silently laughing, piercing through my eyelids up again, to the bathroom, dribbling upset, awake, woozy left side right side upside down eyes open again red square numerals shining in the dark 12:00 four more hours the buzzer will ring do I want those hours to pass like this ? the bathroom again dribbling dousing myself with water from the tap dare I drink a glass ? back to the bed's maw open jaws nibbling at my sanity red square numerals silent but deadly 1:00 get to sleep goddammit rock a bye baby sighs escape like thundercracks left, no right, no back, no front can't breathe right can't think straight Is this a nightmare Am I finally asleep ? red square numerals shining in the dark 2:00 up again, open the door the cats are running around the living room awake and having fun I'm not I'm dribbling again back to bed back to agony red square numerals seemingly silent yet bleeding like daggers through my eyelids shining finally falling falling away, don't know if I'm on my side back or what goodnight something cries out in the night the cat scratches at the door eyes awaken groggily red square numerals shining 3:00 up, in the bathroom, a regimented torture a final ironic abusive moment sleep finally arrives as the buzzer sounds 4:00 red square numerals become the clarion time to go to work.

2004

copyright 1999-2004 by Michael F. Nyiri ElectricPoetry AllThingsMike