Sleep

The clock kept ticking
Reminding me that I was awake
At a time when even the
Insomniacs were finally drifting off
And it was so silent that
Each toss
And
Each turn
In bed felt like I was making too much noise
And would wake my mother up
Sleeping in the other bed
And she would worry about why
I was still awake
Offer to make me something to
Eat or drink
And then drift off to sleep
But it was too late in the night
For her to wake up
No matter how much noise I made
And yet, I was careful
I didn't want to add to her worries
Because how could I tell her that
As of late
Night after night
I lie open-eyed in bed
Until my eyes sting
And I see parts of the ceiling above me
Move
My mind playing tricks on me
And my thoughts wander to
Various memories
Tucked into
Various corners of my life
Friends made and lost
People no longer alive
Love
Being in love
Never being loved
Fears and happiness
Everything that pierces my skin
like those whirring needles
That filled parts of my skin
With ink
And right as I started to get lost in thought
And finally, was that sleep just around the corner?
The loud hoot of a night train
Cuts through the still air
Reminding me that I was awake
During a time of the day when
The world was so quiet
So still
That I could hear the trains slowing down
At the railway station
Just one to two kilometers away
Depending on how I want to get there
Just walking distance
But which, loud as it is,
Is as quiet as a mouse
Compared to the loudness of humans awake
Vehicles and the everyday noises
Of the world around us
And the rhythmic turning of its wheels
And the loud hoot warning people
Of its presence
Scares away sleep
And there's nothing I can do
While I feel it run away from me
Except stare at the ceiling once again
And wait for my mind to
Finally give up
And let me sleep