which for me is so unusual, and if not, I know why, usually, and tonight (starting too late after the debate, and late to take my nightly half-tablet of diphenhydramine hydrochloride, and a tiny knot of something in the back of my neck; is it dread?) unusually I don't know why I'm awake at 1:28 with no plan for a Poetry Friday post, so I turn to this endlessly suitable POEM IN YOUR POCKET collection from the Academy of American Poets, selected by Elaine Bleakney, a stranger who must share my taste since I always find the poem I am looking for.
This poem by Robert Creeley, I find, is almost exactly as old as I am--published in June of 1964 in Poetry Magazine. My eye is heavy with the sight. I can feel my face breaking,
breaking, I hope, into sleep. Did I lift all that, to what purpose?
Our host this week is Jama at Jama's Alphabet Soup. We seem to be in a similar state of mind, falling, not falling. It all drops into place.
I couldn't sleep the other night either; wish I had known about this poem then. :) Also, Robert Creeley is new to me, so thanks for sharing this one.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a great book! Have you ever torn any of them out to carry around?
ReplyDelete"Everything put in place" this time is not how I want it. I hope you did drop into sleep, Heidi. You are dear to find and share such a poem that fits. I haven't waked up that early, but often around four. The DST going away in about a week will play havoc with us all. Hope your weekend is a fine one!
ReplyDeleteThe structure of the Robert Crossley poem lends itself so perfectly to the sense of falling. It's as if the words are falling down the page. The connection being a solitary stubborn word clinging to the previous stanza. Such an apt choice given your state of wakefulness. Sweet dreams Heidi.
ReplyDeleteI often have trouble sleeping. My mind swirls with thoughts the minute I get in bed. I'm sorry to hear you had trouble sleeping, it's especially tough when you're a teacher! Thank you for sharing this new-to-me poem!
ReplyDeleteI also have had trouble sleeping each night. Among the stressors lie my answer-how to sell my Long Island home and extend the window of time to close on my VA new home build. Getting everything into position is the tricky part. "Wish everything put into place." Thanks for the poem. Try a chewable melatonin.
ReplyDeleteSounds like many, including me, can't sleep. I wake up at two and read for a while. "How/ heavy the slow /world is with/ everything put /in place." The falling and dropping. This poem seems accurate for the time.
ReplyDeleteBenadryl will make me sleepy once, but if I try to use it the next night, my body says "nope."
ReplyDeleteI like that Elaine Bleakney passes you poems when you need them. What a view Crossley has through "The Window."
I hate nights like that! The poem is perfect.
ReplyDeleteDid you lift all that? To what purpose? are such apt questions these days. I keep searching for the answer.
ReplyDeleteMy sleep has also been much interrupted these past few nights. After a terrible dream last night, AJ read 10 haiku to me, and that helped me get back to a few more hours of untroubled sleep. It also had the effect of inspiring me to start my haiku-a-day practice again.
ReplyDelete