Sleepwalkers

By johntaiyu


When I was a kid
I had this thing
where I'd sleepwalk
every night
and wake up in the closet
or upstairs somewhere
having no idea what was going on
just a vague dreamlike memory
that was incompatible
with anything real

The last ten years or so
of my drinking life
were like that too
where the contrast
was between being home
in a bad marriage
to a woman I loved
who hated me
or being out
with people
who laughed at my jokes
and bought each other a round
every half hour or so

We were all kindred spirits
with the same story to tell
of how desperate loneliness
chased us into those rooms
for a few meager hours of respite
before wobbling out to our cars
and the return
to whatever reality
would wake us up

Just like sleepwalkers
living out our incompatibilities
with anything real
every damn night

Unauthorized Copying Is Prohibited. Ask the author first.
© 2006 johntaiyu
Published on Wednesday, January 25, 2006.     Filed under: "Poetry"
Log In or Join (free) to see the special features here.

Comments on "Sleepwalkers"

Log in to post comments.
Contribution Level

Poets Bookmarking This Work
johntaiyu's Favorite Poets
Share/Save This Post



Join DarkPoetry Join to get a profile like this for yourself. It's quick and free.

How to Criticize Without Causing Offense
© 1998-2024 DarkPoetry LLC
Donate
[Join (free)]    [More Poetry]    [Get Help]    [Our Poets]    [Read Poems]    [Terms & Privacy]