Sleep
By David Van Kampen
 

 

 I have felt a need, a sleeping call to heed.
 

 

 To feel the earth cast across my body length.
To give away at last all my body strength.
To fall asleep at night, buried underground.
To feel the Earth tight-ly pressing all around.
 

 

 But I find I'd rather see Earth from Moon.
And fly from the smother of sleep too soon.
I'd like a lack of air pulling on my skin.
And open eyes to stare at dark closing in.
Watching the planet slowly revolve away.
To see the shadow set and pass into day.
 
I'm not yet willing to sleep without waking.

 


Originally Posted November 6, 2001. Reposted on February 3, 2005.
Copyright 2005, 2001 by the Labyrinth and the United States Naval Academy, http://www.usna.edu. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or duplication is strictly prohibited. The views expressed on this site are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the US Naval Academy, the Department of Defense, or the US Government.