Sleep

Sleep. Superficial
Unneeded
Eyes burning
With the sting of weariness
Caffeine at my fingertips
Doing little to revive
Head groggy
Tongue loose
Incoherent speech
Reminding me of a previous life
When sleep was superficial
Unneeded.

As a little girl
Not wanting to go to sleep
Using ever excuse
To try and stay up late
“I’m not tired”
“Just a little bit longer”
Excuses not working
Holding in the yawn
Not wanting them to see
Trying to convince them
Sleep is superficial
Unneeded

Back in college
I would often sit
On the rim of exhaustion
Not falling off
Able to function with even less
Day after day
Not needing it
I’m not as young
Can I go back
To those days when
Sleep was superficial
Unneeded

Newborn baby in my arms
Rocking gently
Back and forth
Feeding, comforting
Singing gentle lullabies
Baby smiling up at me.
At the slightest cry
I would wake in a flash
I was needed
Rest would have to wait.
Sleep was superficial
Unneeded

And now I have
A glossy look in my eye
Mind wandering
Drifting away
Barely conscious
But I must go on
As the day goes by
More life being drained
Lifelessly going
Through the motions
Knowing sleep is superficial
Unneeded

My eyes are getting heavy
The sleepiness is over coming
With a jerk of the head
I’m awake again
How long can I continue
In this state of unrest
I can’t keep them open
Can’t fight it off any more
I have lost the battle
Sleep has come
No longer superficial.
Needed