Over a Cup of Tea at 2 a.m.

Insomnia

Sometimes sleep eludes me...

 

Tonight I just can’t seem to grasp

the calm required to close my eyes,

shut down the spinning of my mind,

quiet the thoughts that bubble up

like the foamy froth on boiling water.

 

Here in the darkness I sense movement,

only it’s not in the shadows

that drench the empty room,

rather it is in my mind, my heart,

a swarming, aching mass of discontent,

for the life that I lead by day.

 

I long for the tranquility of dreams.

They hover here, whispering above me,

just beyond my grasp, like the steam

slowly rising from my cup,

warming my face, tickling my skin,

and then disappearing.

Reviews

[Adrian K. Smith]

Not to depersonalize this by any means, but you need to print this out on a card - make it available online - have it so planes can fly over stadiums with it - all for a fee; because so many people would pay to be able to give the answer as well as you do to those that ask them, why they cannot sleep at night...

...I think I spend most of my day trying not to think about my day, but it is there - lurking and waiting until I get home. There, I cannot keep myself busy in the day like I can when I am...well, when I am busy in the day. As it becomes time to relax, I relax my guard - and all those thoughts that I would not process during the day come pouring out. I still do not want to deal with them, so I get caught up in something - a distraction - hoping for them to disappear until I reach the point of collapse and finally fall asleep.

[Lyrical Love]

I long for the tranquility of dreams.They hover here, whispering above me,just beyond my grasp, like the steamslowly rising from my cup,warming my face, tickling my skin,and then disappearing

This is an experience-I live over and over again. Great imagery! I even smell the aroma of the tea...excellent write.

[S.J.Floreen]

It perfectly discribes most of my nights

[Pink Poison]

This is superb and believe me, I don't say that lightly. I was going to comment on the lines I liked best but the entire poem is beyond reproach. It is beautifully composed and allows the reader into that dark place where things live, just out of our grasp. There is no other way to sum this up than Fantastic!

[ABBY]

this poem really means alot to me because my mom has really bad insomnia that has lasted her entire life. great poem

[KUFU]

Another gem.
The work stands on its own (as well as the happy hairs on my neck). My critique is simply a footnote to a work that needs no validation.
Traditionally the English have tea at 2pm, but I'll join you in those insomnia induced tea breaks @ 2am. I'll take two lumps please.

[[untitled]]

Boy, this sounds familiar. This poem explains how I feel on many a night, when I just can't seem to fall asleep. Though happily, not lately.
I have to say that the first verse is perfect, because it could stand on its own. I mean, you could literally take out the second and third verses, and the poem would still be complete, and it would still convey the meaning that you want to say. The other verses add a good bit of extra detail, which makes the poem go beyond just insominia into insomnia for a reason. I like that.

[Dalaina Renee]

I really enjoyed reading this. And the title caught my eye! Well done!