Insomnia Poem by Tom Courtney

Mesmerizing game it seems
wishing hoping chasing dreams
Stare at life – go right ahead
I do it every night in bed

The doctor tells me – do not so
Should use the day to live the show
Can’t store it up inside for night
You’ll never sleep til morning’s light

He’s right you know – I stare at space
I think of running – win the race
And everything I haven’t got
Just brings me to this very spot

So speak to me I say to self
You man or beast or gnome or elf?
What drives you to this blackest hole?
You have a life – you play a role

You see I really do not know
where I’ve been or where I’ll go
The busy pace of every day
keeps thoughts of me so far away

I pillow-down – my faithful marriage
alone now in my fateful carriage
I put me to the rest each night
and come to face the same old fright

I face myself each night in lying
and find that I’ve not stopped the trying
to win some race – seek some solution
and what I got’s this mind’s pollution

Try thinking more in morning light
the doctor says you’re doing right
Find peace amongst the falling leaves
Be grateful sleeping under eaves

Some have much less than me and you
You’d never miss a dime or shoe
You’ve all the world to skate away
Forget yourself – consider it play

My doctor is a kindly man
I’m sure he does the best he can
He wants for me the best of life
He wouldn’t wish me all this strife

He dreams of curing troubled me
He says don’t want and thus be free
He says to find internally
all that you need – the best to be

He drives a Porsche marked Dr. J
He proves his worth most every day
He says that happiness of souls
is simple – look and change your goals