Tossing and turning, sleepless
eyes heavy, weighted like my mind
with thoughts of yesterday, tomorrow
Arising, I stumble to the kitchen
the light from the fridge assaults
my pained eyes
nothing, nothing to salve my sleeplessness
closing the fridge, I stand in the darkness
Straining to see a sign from the window
that morning is soon to come
but only black moonless sky looks back
Bed beckons, warm blankets to cuddle me
soft pillow to cradle my aching head
poor substitutes for your caresses
which once held me close
now empty of my own warmth
Another night wanes as dawn
slowly brings the beginning
of another day,
my reprieve from another sleepless night
Dee Garner
© March 24, 2008
Comments
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Been there done that
I have nights like this and often make me a cup of hot coccoa and like a baby the milk luls me to sleep . I found I never take an allergy pill in the afternoon for its impossible to sleep or a vitamine late . I hope you find the peace to sleep soon
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This is beautiful and touchingly emotional. Nothing worse to return to than an empty bed.
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This reminded me of my mother. Dad died a few years back and she has had trouble sleeping ever since! I think the first stanza said it all. Worry and thoughts of what has been are what keep many people awake at night, only some of us have more of both.
My only criticism is about the line, "now empty of my own warmth." I was unsure as to what was empty.
However, this is a wonderful and emotionally telling poem.
~ Joyce
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'empty of my own warmth' refers to the the cozy blankets, soft pillows being 'poor substitutes for your warm carress' which is now empty of 'my' warmth (my body)
The other person being gone. Sort of a circle of effects.
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Oh yeah, I feel you on this one. I'm sometimes lying awake for hours! Hate it. I liked the part about looking outside for the morning. Like willing the night away. great write, great images, and I like the way it turns into a love poem, I wasn't expecting that at the end.
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ah i kow the one here - restless spirit wandering the rooms of the night, it is just getting light now for me as dawn waves
a good poem.
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this is just beautiful. thanks so much for entering
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Deep
I have been there. I could feel the isolation and despair within this piece. The loneliness just hits out at the reader. Again, a very powerful piece of writing indeed.
Well done
Wayne Leon
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I've had my share, not so many for the reason you've written about though. But I have been there, back in my "I give a darn" days, when that sudden change in relationship fortunes left me unable to get used to the change.
Line one, I think that's an effective beginning, sets the scene, "yesterday, tomorrow" we see that is't not 1.) a temporary thing and 2.) an easy one. What follows is good, it adds to that feeling, intensifies it...the sleeplessness, restlessness, searching for that palliative us get us through. I also like the contrast between the bed and the little comfort it now affords.
Ok, I'd go on but people get annoyed when I analyze poems too much so I'm just send clappies and shut up now.
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You could call me to just gab. As I find myself in a simalar stalemate with sleeplessness as this nightly. I understand that missing enfold of arms that reassure us all too well myself. You dear poetess,have masterfully scribed a feeling common to most. Yet most couldn't have givin it a voice as profound and true as this. Nice work!
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I only get a handful of good night sleeps a year. They usually come when I reach the point of pure exhaustion
and then am finally dead to the world.
I've always been one to function on a few hours sleep ever since young, but I think it's finally catching
up to me.
Maybe lack of sleep occurs every time we step outside
our so called comfort zone. For instance here from sleeping with someone to trying to sleep without.
I long for my eyes to shut
like the windows of Winter
Tight and unobtrusive
But thoughts pry them open
whispering pasts, like the wakening
of Spring
Hugs...Eddy
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Expressive!
Oh how I can relate to your words upon this page the world is so quiet, and not a soul to talk to, and the hours pass by in slow motion, much slower than day light hours...Our brains are supposed to be like computers but there is no button to click off our active sleepless minds 
I love this piece, I can feel the angst and the loneliness of a wakeful night...this is quite a read, engaging and a marvellous use of expressiveness
Stanza two, I'm guessing you are meaning fridge when you write frig, sometimes I come across words like this, penned in the writers dialect, I find it interesting when it's different to my own
A most enjoyable read
Much love ~Lilac
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