Insomnia

Stream of consciousness, and thus almost grappling with... I dunno.


I tossed and turned, restlessly so
Waiting for sleep that took long to come,
I thought of a great many things,
That required none my attention though,
Carefully I pondered, wrinkled my head,
And thought of myriad things.
While I longed and wished for sleep to come.
But it seemed to ever take so long,
That maddened I pushed my way
Out of the stifling mosquito net,
Out of the claustrophobic maze.

I strode out into the dark that was,
Of my restraining room, out into the veranda,
I peered out in despondent gloom.
The birds I heard with the cries
Of the prophet of the mosque.

Around me the world gently slumbered,
While some of us woke.
Stealthily a rodent ran
Out from a flirtatious hole.
No longer did I long for the sleep that wouldn’t come,
Even as the rest of them around me snored on.
Except the few women that pattered, with their timid feet,
For their morning shift. And then they would have
Their noon shift and evening shift and night.
Except the men that washed the cars of our blessed fathers.
Except the girls who ran to homes, to help their mothers.
And oh of course the brave few who walked the morning like thunder.

A motor hurried on the wide empty road
As I watched on at the world of dejected dark gloom
I watched and I watched as the minutes ticked by
And sleep that was forgotten was shorn,
And I watched the sky pale into a roseate gold.

The sun rose like a mighty thing,
Proud of not being beheld without shielded eyes.
And I watched unblinkingly the gentle dawn
That came not as sudden as I thought it would
It wasn’t abrupt, uncannily unsudden unlike snow,
For it was like a drowsy dog that stretches its limbs slow.

The lazy dawn, it came like music,
That stirs slowly in one’s soul,
Like the gentle reminder that a pace so mild,
Would bring its own morning glow.

But I was watching this unqualified,
For hadn’t I seen the light too soon?
And from the unfortunate rear?
I had not woken to greet the sun,
I had cheated it of its due,
I had beheld a sight unwittingly,
And I was so unprepared.

As I looked up to see what was to be seen,
With a tinge of discontented regret,
At having not shut my eyes,
Like it would have better served.
But as I watched the sun watching me,
I kept aside my sudden dread.
It shone so bright, like a great big plate,
Put to dry by some wealthy host,
And the warmth that emanated,
Warmed me to the very core.

Adequately blessed, by nature’s great wonder,
I stumbled onto bed,
The net no longer stifled me,
I was asleep before I had lain.