Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Stirring

A troubled conscience robs the rest,
Pressing the pillowed heart to motion.
Fretful signs of troubled times
Pry the puffed eye open.
Bed bugs prick the mouth and skin
And bring the prone physique to life
And I have heard by muffled word
That so might do a wife.
Langor drowns in tropic sweat
Burnt baking stabs the snoring nose
But if insomnia is, once more, to score
Let a lightning storm take my repose.

INSOMNIA, n. A prerequisite for sleeping in.

18 comments:

TLP said...

Insomnia: just the mention of bed bugs gives it to me.

Actually, I could sleep next to a train, or even on train tracks, and not be awakened. Sleep is one of my talents. So, of course, I never lay my head on the railroad tracks, 'cause I fear the Double E would not make enough noise.

TLP said...

Good poem BTW. Wives are scary I guess, as are husbands. But many survive them. Just sayin'.

Anonymous said...

Insomnia - Its a curse i tell ya I liked your poem.

Jim said...

.
Go stir the pot by talking insominiac's bed bug talk.
..

k. riggs gardner said...

Tales from Microfiction Monday #53

karen a. says:
October 18, 2010 at 8:43 pm
How soon is soon?

Quilly says:
October 19, 2010 at 9:13 am
The minute the jerk goes to sleep1

word veri hyper {true dat !!}

pia said...

How you got from stirring to insomnia is amazing
I love your Wednesday offerings :)
And I thank you for sticking around all these years :)
i finally learned how to write and you had a lot to do with it!

pia said...

uh TLP--I'm not going to NY for the holidays. I really do have to write and finally finish but I'm scared of bedbugs. Very scared.
Checked luggage is dangerous

The Onion said...

NEWSFLASH: Cockroach King Concerned Over Recent Rise Of Bedbugs

GRAND IMPERIAL THRONE ROOM, CASTLE ROACH —His Royal Highness, King Leopold Blattodea IV, undisputed lord and ruler of the cockroaches, expressed dismay and concern Monday that the recent rise in bedbug populations could threaten his sovereignty over the realm of human squalor.

Gathered in His Majesty's begrimed throne room behind the bathroom sink, a solemn coterie of royal advisers and nobleroaches received the king's proclamation in tense silence, awaiting his word on precisely how the cockroach kingdom would respond to the bedbug scourge ...

STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES ON THIS DEVELOPING STORY

Omnipotent Poobah said...

insomnia - "Come to Insomnia, the sleepiest little country in the world!

Anonymous said...

it is rare
for me to stir
after bedtime,almost never
slept through a bed(half a bed)
fire once
learned never smoke in bed
when one is in a drunk state
...
off on holiday,
see you all
next week...
PEACE
????
is there a blog
get together
for last post
???
just ask'n
party at
doug's
PEACE

quilly said...

I have no personal knowledge of insomnia. Like TLP, I sleep. My poor Amoeba, who does suffer from insomnia, will attest that he can turn on the lights, the TV, and dance a jig while I sleep blissfully on.

cooper said...

NIGHT THOUGHTS OF A TORTOISE SUFFERING FROM INSOMNIA ON A LAWN
(E.V. Rieu)

"The world is very flat--
There is no doubt of that!"

The Onion said...

NEWSFLASH -- At press time, King Leopold was reportedly planning to amass a battalion of 1,200 hardy foot soldiers, including 50 mighty Water Bugs, to seek out the location of the Bedbug stronghold. As the forces prepared to march, a missive from a general in the Bedbug Army arrived via Termite courier at the castle gates. ...

"Your petty machinations are USELESS," read the message scrawled in human blood. "Soon our numbers will grow so vast that mankind will be TOO TERRIFIED to step into a movie theater, sit on a friend's sofa, or check out books from the library. Forget not, we can survive without food for up to 18 months! SURRENDER NOW AND RETURN TO THE TROPICAL, WOODY AREAS THAT BIRTHED YOU! The future of the cities is now, my friends. We are the future!

TLP said...

You're not having trouble sleeping this morning I see.

TLP said...

Apologizes and Corrections: Doug is up and about and on his way to work.

Doug The Una said...

TLP, my brother shares your gift. As a kid, I used to have to punchhim if I wanted company in my sleeplessness and keep punching if I wanted a conversation.

Thom, it is and thanks.

Jim, think of me as the Lex Luthor of sleep deprivation.

Thanks, Karen.

Pia, as far as I know, you were born writing or rose from the sea on a half shell doing it.

Thanks again, Karen.

Poobah, that's clever.

Bear, if only there were another way to learn that.

Quilly, that's a great gift. If you haven't read Larry McMurtry's Texasville one of the main characters shared it with you. I read that in the mid-80s and found myself envying a fictional character's sleep.

Cooper, and every blade of grass, a forest and banquet at that.

Very suspenseful, Karen.

Alas, TLP, you gave me too much credit too soon. That always keeps me up.

Jim said...

I'm sure no one missed me in this sophisticated discussion. I'm in Iowa visiting my sister.
..

k. riggs gardner said...

.
I for sure didn't miss Jim's scrawny beard with the lice in it.
..