Many months have I been haunted
in my sleep
by names and faces, unknown places
and I weep
upon waking from each nightmare, aching
with desire
to sink into a sleep, a dreamless void so deep
that even the night-time stars expire
I go to bed to shut my head
down for a while,
to rest my body and my mind together,
but visions wild
tear at my sanity, and when I wake painstakingly
I feel more tired
than I did the night before, before I went to bed;
if someone hears this prayer, a dreamless night’s my sole desire
Just one night freed from the fight
in my own head,
to sink into a thoughtless void
as deep and dark as dead
and wake refreshed next morning, feeling blessed
from restful sleep;
it’s all that’s left for me to long for –
a dreamless sleep (an off-switch), just a deep, sound sleep