Insomnia, a poem by Matthew Sweeney.

Post 493 - Here is another delightful poem by Matthew Sweeney and I dedicate it to all of you who have trouble sleeping. Maybe you believe Dr. Seuss's observation: “When you’re in love, you can’t fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams.” Now, that's a good reason to stay awake if ever I heard one ....

Insomnia by Matthew Sweeney

Everywhere it’s raining except here
where the mosquitoes thrive
and the car alarms wail at each other
all through the dog-moaning night,
and just before dawn that smell
of onions frying brings the image
of a fat ghost chef whose insomnia
is dealt with like this, making me
rush to the kitchen to catch him
but he and the smell are always gone.
And sleep has no chance at all then,
so rather than ride the toss-&-turning
horse I go naked onto the balcony
to count the lights left on in the flats,
trying to imagine who is up early
and who is late to bed, and soon
the night train will arrive from the north
to rest and be fed, the woken crows
will start the feral cats, and I will add
my wolf howl, then wait for the shouts.