Thursday, September 30, 2010

2:30 a.m.

I just published this poem on my other blog: www.poetrystoriesanduselessthoughts.blogspot.com, but I wanted to put it here, too, because a couple of friends have been lamenting their sleepless nights with crying babies lately, and I wanted to commiserate with them. Christy and Katie, this one's for you.

At 2:30 a.m.
waiting for the baby to sleep again
I discover
why the electric bill is so high.
The A/C has been running for an hour--
some contest to outscream him?
or try to get ahead of the Florida summer?
I wonder who will last the longest
in this battle of wills and lungs?

Surely I can outwit the air conditioner--
turn up the thermostat and
make it go to sleep.
But the baby?
He must struggle along as he can,
screaming his anger out alone
in the dark
to uncaring gods who will wean him
of bottle and breast
and make him learn.

Life is not fair, baby.
For you, whose body and soul
I cradled nine months inside me,
who has no complaint I do not feel,
must now find your own way
back to sleep.

You can check my other blog, occasionally, for poems and other random thoughts. No pictures on that one, though.

4 comments:

Riss said...

I like it. I will have to check out your other blog. I didn't know you had one. Can't wait...

The Staker Family said...

That was great, I especially love that last stanza. Thanks for sharing.

Angie Larkin said...

I love mamas getting their writing out there. It's brave. Can't wait for a spare hour to go read all of your posts.

Anonymous said...

Thanks...I needed this. Things are getting better on the sleeping front here. I just hate hearing babies cry themselves to sleep, it is so hard.