from the child

i. near-sighted

          mother
i don’t want to take my glasses off tonight
when i go to sleep
and this time i’d like to keep on the light
          mother
something’s wrong i can feel it
i need to see it, watch it’s approach
          mother
without my glasses you know i’m blind
when it arrives, it’ll hurt so much more
when it gets here
i see its breath and it drowns the horizon
but
          mother
i don’t know what it is
i’m not going to sleep tonight
or any night from now on
i won’t let it get me with my eyes shut
with my eyes blind
          mother
i am scared, but it is coming for me
so you sleep
i’ll hold it off as long as i can
so i’ll keep my glasses
and keep on the light


ii. abandon

mother please tell me about
all my dreams again
i seem to have lost them along the way
they were beautiful, weren’t they?
mother?
          oh sweetie, where have your dreams gone to
i don’t know
          where did you have them last?
i don’t know, mother
          you must know
i think she took them away with her
i think she needed some for her own
they were nice dreams, right mother?
they were nice when they were mine?
           of course, dear, you had some of the best
          and i’m sure you’ll have more
          just close your eyes, dear
          relax, go to sleep, dear
mother
you know i can’t sleep anymore.

i haven't posted any poetry in a while. today i was going through some old college paperwork and found some i really liked. i might post a few in the coming days.