Seicento - Insomnia

"Seicento"

10 x 10 x 1.5 inches, Oil on Canvas

Have trouble sleeping? I do...so here's a poem I wrote years ago:

Insomnia

Could it be that the moon is too bright?
The sounds of the old house
settling in the dry dirt,
Dreams that give fright,
Sleep eludes me tonight

Soft breathing of someone enjoying his sleep,
Dripping of a faucet not closed tight
A dog standing sentry, barking
I fight off a mosquito,

A party that’s lasted too long
Distant sounds drift in-
Laughter, clink of glasses, undecipherable music
The “boom, boom” of the lowest notes.

An engine rumbles in the distance,
Re-living an old argument,
Ticking of an impatient clock,
Seconds, then minutes pass very loudly
As sleep eludes me tonight.

An owl sings a lonely song,
Cottonwood leaves rustling, sounding like rain
Re-living an old argument not won,
Reminders, to-do lists, chores left undone.

Mental exercises, self-hypnosis,
Fluff the pillow, sit up and read,
Drink warm milk,
Watch TV
Still – sleep eludes me tonight.