JOHN 21
As I lay me down to sleep
All my thoughts deny my peace
Twisting, twirling all to flow
River of words, Blizzards of thought-snow
Robbing me of quiet rest
Toss and turn, I am not blessed
Tormented by matters of the day
I cannot drop them, so here I lay
Mind’s eye is restless, doubts and muse
Thoughts form sentences, headlines of news
Swirling tails of screaming print, concepts, ideas, words
And no peace
And as I drift to half-way sleep
‘stead of ceasing, rapidity increased
Newsprint fills, walls in my mind
Floor and ceiling, curtain blinds
Headlines screaming, bed and chair
Words in the mirror, subtitles for hair
Beyond the window, oh a horror
A newsprint city, miles of care
Why can’t I rest, why can’t I sleep?
Why this tumult, this madness me?
And as a dream, my feet lift off
Out the window, down the hall
I am cruising, bird’s eye view
At a newsprint universe, in all mind’s eye
My thoughts plastered –
Over all my life
Cruising at altitudes, too high
Over word-trees, and a sentence sky
Drifting through, Ever swirling
Blizzards of letter, forever twirling
Talking voices scream for attention
Contending amongst millions, a chorus of noise
And regardless of positive, or negative thoughts
All scream in unison, and I cannot pray
For control of the mind, to seek you beyond
Mind-numbing explosion of tired self-conscious
Searching for evidence of peace beyond words
Amidst the chaos of sleepless nights –
throwing walls against the headlines
In order to hear a whisper -
And as I cruise through thought-line world, amidst the storm
A spot ahead,
Less activity there, seems to move slow
And as I near, the thoughts less grow
‘stead they stand, against the walls and halls
The storm to freeze, recede in a clearing
And the quiet draws me near, my feet alighting
In the midst of my mind, a sighting
a clear spot without word
But with you –
out of my thoughts, there in sitting
A campfire burning, the wood is my letters
Fed by my noise, you fuel my meal
You turn chaos into succulent, delicious veal
Over your shoulder an ocean of thoughts
But here, in this place,
this spot, a quiet
And out of the area, where your mouth lay
I hear a silence, seems to say
Stay here, rest awhile, stop swimming in this mire
A silence more profound than a library of yours
Listen to my quiet, amidst blizzards of headlines
I’ll keep you warm, Let the presses cease
Come sit by the fire, drink my wine, eat my meat.
As I lay me down to sleep
All my thoughts deny my peace
Twisting, twirling all to flow
River of words, Blizzards of thought-snow
Robbing me of quiet rest
Toss and turn, I am not blessed
Tormented by matters of the day
I cannot drop them, so here I lay
Mind’s eye is restless, doubts and muse
Thoughts form sentences, headlines of news
Swirling tails of screaming print, concepts, ideas, words
And no peace
And as I drift to half-way sleep
‘stead of ceasing, rapidity increased
Newsprint fills, walls in my mind
Floor and ceiling, curtain blinds
Headlines screaming, bed and chair
Words in the mirror, subtitles for hair
Beyond the window, oh a horror
A newsprint city, miles of care
Why can’t I rest, why can’t I sleep?
Why this tumult, this madness me?
And as a dream, my feet lift off
Out the window, down the hall
I am cruising, bird’s eye view
At a newsprint universe, in all mind’s eye
My thoughts plastered –
Over all my life
Cruising at altitudes, too high
Over word-trees, and a sentence sky
Drifting through, Ever swirling
Blizzards of letter, forever twirling
Talking voices scream for attention
Contending amongst millions, a chorus of noise
And regardless of positive, or negative thoughts
All scream in unison, and I cannot pray
For control of the mind, to seek you beyond
Mind-numbing explosion of tired self-conscious
Searching for evidence of peace beyond words
Amidst the chaos of sleepless nights –
throwing walls against the headlines
In order to hear a whisper -
And as I cruise through thought-line world, amidst the storm
A spot ahead,
Less activity there, seems to move slow
And as I near, the thoughts less grow
‘stead they stand, against the walls and halls
The storm to freeze, recede in a clearing
And the quiet draws me near, my feet alighting
In the midst of my mind, a sighting
a clear spot without word
But with you –
out of my thoughts, there in sitting
A campfire burning, the wood is my letters
Fed by my noise, you fuel my meal
You turn chaos into succulent, delicious veal
Over your shoulder an ocean of thoughts
But here, in this place,
this spot, a quiet
And out of the area, where your mouth lay
I hear a silence, seems to say
Stay here, rest awhile, stop swimming in this mire
A silence more profound than a library of yours
Listen to my quiet, amidst blizzards of headlines
I’ll keep you warm, Let the presses cease
Come sit by the fire, drink my wine, eat my meat.
