Catching Sleep

~ Frank Solanki

I am always trying

Trying to catch some sleep

If I ever grab her

It is what I’d keep

Then I wouldn’t let go

Of her for a spell

Ten to twelve odd hours

She’d make me feel so well

But she’s on the run

…

She is always running

Running away from me

The more I try to catch her

She farther seems to be

Don’t know why she’s like this

She must really love this game

Hiding in night’s darkness

Escaping all the blame

She is on the run

…

Well I know she knows me

And how much I love her

Work and cash — I’m grudging

To place it all above her

As soon as I attain her

She fears I won’t yearn

For her and her company

So she’s on the run

She is on the run

Published by Frank Solanki

Making the world a better place one poem at a time.

11 thoughts on “Catching Sleep”

  2. SOMNUS

    By what crime or fault of mine have I deserved
    To be the only soul without the benefit
    Afforded others by this placid baby God?
    Settled are the livestock, and the wild as well,
    Birds also, for each drooping treetop testifies
    To a breezeless slumber; even waterfalls
    Recede into the distance as the hackles on
    The waves are stroked to smoothness and the sea itself
    Lies dormant in the snug of coastal cleavages.
    This is the seventh time the moon has swung around
    To gaze into my unrelieved returning stare:
    As often have the stars of dusk and dawn been back
    To peep at me, and, as I toss, Tithonia,
    Who drives the twinkling flock before her, sprinkles me
    With dewdrops from her whip. So hard to bear!
    And how much longer must I? If I had the thousand
    Eyes of Juno’s watchman I would get at least
    More sleep than this – there always was a part of him
    Which took a nap. But goodness, now, if anywhere
    Some person trammelled in his girl’s responding arms
    The long night through would drive you off deliberately,
    Come here to me, dear Somnus. Not that I insist
    That these poor orbs receive a thorough powdering
    Of soporific dust dispensed by fluttering –
    Happier mortals may demand such luxury!
    Simply brush me with your long antenna’s tip,
    Or tiptoe lightly over me with your hovering step.

    Statius (c 45-96 AD) – version by A.H. – from Statius: Silvae, Anvil, 2007

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  3. Sorry, that wasn’t very nice even in bold capital letters and exclamation points and not swear words. I’m upset right now. Because I really liked Daniel. Leave me alone.

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  4. Alright, so maybe I’m missing something, but there seems to be something off-putting about this poem. Maybe it’s that some of the beats don’t quite line up but come close to. Anyways, it’s still a very nice piece 🙂

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