I Hope You Can Poem by maria goodison

I do not know if you can understand
but it is not the voices
that are singing in my head
that make me want to slip into that bed.

It is not the devoting rhyme
that helps me to unwind,
that takes me far away and slows my mind,
so I can think for another day,
so I can sleep without
the demons want to play.
It is not the fact that only I can hear,
its not even the way that I feel,
its not something that I can explain
but hope you find a way to understand.

The elephant in Africa
finds a way to stand every day,
the bamboo knows it's path
and grows and grows for all to see.
It is not the voices that soothe me so,
it is not the beat that moves my feet
or the way it lulls me to sleep.
It is not the light that is outside,
it is not the tv that brings me to my bed.

Not the war or peace or hearing my childs play,
it is a simple thing and still one I can not explain.
Yet I'm still hoping
that you can find a way to understand
and will not push for anymore.