Stolen Slumber Poem by Sandra Dodd

I lay there wrapped in very bushy arms
Whispers ‘sleep now I am here’
With the warmth and washing of this love,
I drift to a place that is unknown
I see at play our children
Flowers fit for a wedding
perhaps I am skinny
having wine with a friend
Sleep should be a place of contentment

in a flash that face could appear
The one that harms causes terror
That it that deserves no mention
The one that my tension originated
with the vileness of his being
In those moments did so maltreat
I may wake from dead sleep on my feet
Took what to only belonged to me my
blissful slumber now without sweet dreams
song of my heart in twain never to be joined
My heart hostage and injuriously awake
Peaceful eyes waiting to soon be as afore
Broken, wondering if I will achieve sleep
the way others win awards

If in my sleep that piece of dung appears
slumber is deferred to my fears
In that flash I feel a racing heart,
viscous breath, shuddering body
stiffens me wide-awake
I touch the headboard
to feel where I am
I say “I am in my house,
he is not in my bed”
It is then I realize the wraping arms
of the most lovely man are ever there
I settle consciously to be calm
left to reconcile how long
will slumber escape my being

For as I wake monster does not preside
With daylight I push it aside
I would like to slumber
Simple sleep without dreams
To be as I was before
Happy to sleep with each moon
Peaceful heart without disparity
I wish slumber to meet me there