sleeping at the bottle

she had him strapped on
chest and belly against hers
arms and legs spread
socks-covered feet dangling
at the sides of her waist

neon fabric and stitching
hugged his soft back
while long black straps flowed
under his arms, over hers
crossing her back
and wrapping around
his diapered bottom

he was only half through
his mid-morning bottle
but already the muscles
in his neck and eyelids
were returning to the
relaxed state they still
knew so well

light sleeper

she is finally asleep
and i can feel
the reverberations
of her gravelly snores
against my back

i try to be still
to not move
except in breathing
to the rough tune
of her fragile slumber

mattress toppers

colder nights
make sleeping
a little harder
not much
to do but lie
eyes closed
gathering warmth
sinking slightly
slowly into
yielding memory
and foam

or blame the heat

i’ve had trouble sleeping
through the night
waking every few hours
claiming consciousness
just long enough
to restart my dreams
in search of you

sea of leaves

I may be ten miles
from the coast
but some late nights
when the roads
are silent of cars
and a persistent breeze
blows through, rustling
the wind shredded leaves
of the banana plants
outside my window
I close my eyes
and drift off
to the lull of
ocean waves

clarity

I think best
in these last
few moments
before sleep
when my eyes
are closing
and my mind
is opening
finally free
from the restraints
imposed during
the day

flash

nine hours of wakefulness

and I am ready for a nap

my breathing slows

eyelids grow heavy

towards sleep

I start to slip

welcoming

wanting it

want

her

a face flashes in my mind

I jerk awake

all desire for sleep vanishes

her smile remains

like the afterimage of lightning

across the night sky

compromise

my eyelids twitch

after too many

late nights in a row

my body is conflicted

straining to keep

my eyes open