I rouse often, beginning with short bouts of restless sleep disturbed by vivid dreams.
Then at last, I am awake, set free from the turbulence of my mind.
I greet the darkness, the silence, the peace … everyone nestled in their beds.
I hear their slow, tranquil breaths — the sound of sleep’s mercy.
The cat meets me as I rise; he perches on the chair’s arm rest.
He looks out the window, beyond the sense of time, and we search for slumber against the light of the screen and stars.
As the clock approaches daylight, a single bird’s cry pierces the air.
Morning is breaking but my spirit is not.
Although sleep has left me alone, the world surrounds me with grace and beauty.
The dark sky softens to a grey haze, then a light blue…
Possibilities surface with the glow of the sinking moon.
As I witness this transition,
I close my eyes.
blaak sheep 