Another night of pill popping.

It's late
four am
in the morning
I need to sleep
before I die

My body is
tiring out
my strength
is waning
as LJ Echols’s
music on my
laptop drone on
all night long
in my white
and gold
headphones

I don't want to
disturb anyone
that is able or
trying to sleep

Another night
of pill popping
and I'm out
goodnight neofamily

Good morning
neofamily
insomnia has been
with me since
childhood,
followed me
to grade school,
high school and
college.

My sleep often
run, playing
peekaboo.

I've nodded behind
the wheels
of a car
thanking God
having never
lost control,

I drank coffee
on travels
longer than
30 miles.

My head
have hit
a few desks
my freshman
and sophomore
years.

Thus, I've learned
to reign in sleep
before the
commencement
becoming
a college
graduate
in good standing
(As and Bs)
on my transcripts.

At this moment
my eyes are
strained, aching,
shutting down
all my resolves
to fight the
remnants
of a half pill
making
me drowsy
fighting sleep.

Even now
insomnia is
with me
my head is
nodding and
bobbing.

Fighting sleep
is a game
I've played
for 54 years.