with a start i woke up
and looked immediately about
yet nothing seemed amiss

a whisper on the wind said
“don’t go back to sleep”

my body, too tired to be obedient
my mind, too tired to be reasonable

“why,” i whisper urgently
to the wind
“why should i not go back to sleep?”

silence

my eyes begin to close
my thoughts begin to drift

“don’t go back to sleep!”

bolt upright
eyes wide
i await the dawn