I Don’t Know How Poem by Edmund Wong

I don’t know how I could sleep-
Oppression reigned my night;
Trains of onerous thoughts trampled
My mind, squeaking against
One another in proximity,
And threatening to crash
All the way to extremity.
Stop, in a bloodshot gaze,
Like a broken stoplight
I ordered them in vain.

I don’t know how I could see-
Useless was my sight.
I looked up in pain, pining
For a little star to give me strength.
I saw nothing, there was nothing
To help me through that fight.

I don’t know how I could survive,
Having severed from hope,
Whose sweet but spurious promises
Were but poison to a friend.
Tears ceased flowing for sad stories,
They’d long come to an end.

I don’t know how it all went wrong,
Except time never stopped,
Released my grip and passed me by,
Bequeathing me his age,
While I, that little boy, was loath
To go and fade offstage.