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adventure team try-outs tomorrow

need my sleep
dream of knives
cutting meat
cutting me
not what I wanted - 

I guess it's only fair, 
like my skin or the weather.
apricot scrub & the drawer's short.
someone here is a thief 
& it's not me. 

now please let me get some sleep.

have some sympathy - 
I saved your life once. remember?
you couldn't swim 
& I gave you fins.
no one's sorry.

we all smile 
& for good reason, maybe.
the secret of our smiles 
will never be revealed,
like a good magick trick. 

take it right to the edge
& wear the badge of a sucker. 
you've surely earned it
& there's no shame in that, 
yet. 

now let me sleep, 

keep ticking,
water dripping,
under the covers,
I'm restless,
god-eyed. 

was this really a gift? 
my papers were scattered everywhere 
& now I'm going to be late, 
wake up late, 
at last. 

these last few weeks 
have been hard. 
I have to get better.
I have to sleep 
right. 

please go home so I can do my thing. 

now I'm dreaming? 
this could be a clue,
or maybe 
you need new eyes,
like a blind canyon donkey.

just to hear someone say
"I love you" -
I'm over it. 
it's never true 
& I'd rather be sleepy.

heard that one,
broccoli floret,
tender nub
in a butter bath,
chances aside, 

a red rose for breakfast 
& some cheap pillowcase
because I go through them like shoes. 
the flying feet of a Greek god 
& here I am, 

the superinsomniac

the lady says she buys 
wine & cat food.
that sounds ok.
choice words like chopped chuck.
digest meat while sleeping.

a pitcher of ice water. that
would be outstanding 
& I'm grateful. 
you have your own
sleepless life, right? 

bake a bone cake
or show us some teeth,
white boy. 
I'm just a dot on a timeline.
it could be worse: 

I could have claws for hands 
& give up dancing.
dot to dot,
straining the light, 
open a can & just eat. 

just sleep, 
keep trying. 
a control panel appears 
& why the perplexed
expression? 

I look like a monkey 
in the mirror. 
stones go skipping
all along roll along 
trading time like a dream. 

sound machine
wash the water off
say something in French.
it tickles the tongue,
like melon does.

refreshing sleep tonic, 
put my boots on, 
I've been looking for
a number 11.
6 a.m. & I'm drifting. 

see you tomorrow, today.

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