Solitary Insomniac

It's 10:18, and I'm lying in bed
While the music of Floyd enters my head.
              "Eugene better be careful with that axe."
I'm trying to fall asleep,
But rest doesn't seem to come easy this eve'.

Another minute goes by--I've been here over an hour,
When in the distance, I hear a dog start to holler.
Woof!
              "If that dog barks ten more times by 10:24, I'm getting up."

Woof! Woof!
I keep track of the barks
With fictitious tick marks.
Woof!

The dog remains silent for a short time-out,
But once again, then, barking breaks out.
Woof!
              "That's four. 10:21."

Woof! Woof!
The animal pauses very briefly again.
Woof! Woof!
              "There's eight. 10:22."
My lower region stirs in anticipation,
And I adjust my position.
              "Two more is all I need."
But I'm already up and ready for action.

Woof!
              "One more."
Woof!
              "That's ten."

The red LCD says it's 10:23,
So I pick out October and make love to the girl that's on page 93.
              "Well, that was fun."

I'm done and trying to sleep again by 10:27.
Floyd's now setting the controls for some place in the heavens.

And in the distance, the dog continues to bark
While I lie alone in my bed, on my back, in the dark.

---

Originally written:    September 4, 1998
Put online:    November 18, 2001
Discussion:    On the surface, this poem is somewhat amusing. If one thinks about it, however, it is quite depressing. The actions of my life were guided by the number of times a dog barked. The dog was my only companionship; and after ten minutes, nothing in the world had changed--the dog continued barking, the music played on, and I was alone. Yes, this is based on a true story of me trying to fall asleep one night. After this little episode, however (as I knew I would), I fell asleep rather quickly.


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