Difficult To Fall Asleep Poem by Daleen Enslinstrydom

Why does the night feel so much longer
when it’s difficult to fall asleep
and the thoughts and the things that bother you
are caught up in your reality
as if the devil himself is poking you with a fork
towards a corner of your mind
where you do not want to go
and to the things that you would rather want to forget.

Why do things look so much different
in the night time when you are half asleep
and then you are tired
but it’s difficult to close your eyes?

No matter what you do
sleep does not come
and everything seems to be in vain.

It is at this time
that your imagination has got the better of you
and the flowerpot in the corner
becomes the ghost that haunts you
and an intruder climbs out of the cupboard
that was left open.

Sweat stains the sheets
and the bathroom seems to be far,
very far away
and as if getting up to use the loo
will be the end of you.

The blankets feel so heavy
that they make it hard to breath
and it would be better
if you could only hide away
from the tricks of your imagination.

As the clock ticks on far past midnight
the house that you normally live in
becomes a dwelling place
for all kinds of terrible things
that is far beyond reality
and still I do wonder
why does the night feel so much longer
when it’s difficult to sleep.