no sleep

why is it that sleep slips by the window
not muttering a sound, not a leaf cracking
not even the noise of a snail
or a spider busily web building
illusive as the sight of a shooting star
star-crossed lover elusive
slipping by, slipping by, no sound
no vision
no word
no taste
round in the mouth without sweetness or saltiness
round, marble round ball of smooth eggness
no taste
no taste of sleep this night
no vision of sleep
no sound of sleep buried as it is, held up, tied up
near but far, how is it, how is it
that this no sleep defieds all reason
the body cannot hold it
the mind cannot appraise it
the tongue has no use for its tastelessness

let us see if there is a forest
a forest tall and without boundaries
a sky of untold numbers of stars
and if these tree, these stars, hold the grains of sleep
the golden grains of sleep
and the grains spin in the forested night sky
they gleam in the leaves and clear atmosphere
they chime in unison across the spongy forest floor

come to us, they call, come and see the tiny golden gods of sleep
can you envision them, can you taste their erratic dance
skipping, just skipping in delight
can you hold these golden sleep gods in your mind?
will they allow you some respite or will their demands
make short your dreams, cut to the quick of your longing,
longing for just one night
one night of blissful sleep