For years I'd lie side-saddle, folded tight as a bat, turned away from whichever brother leapt last into bed. But sleep always loosed my grip and legs gave chase, Alfred and Jules trying to outrun one another to the opposite edge until dawn.
Coyotes my only company, those lonely nights. I tried to squeeze the life from my rangy legs, press them back into their source. But nothing could stunt the determination in my bones, the creeping ache that waited until dark to seep up from ankles, rot through shins. Legs aflame, I drowned my howl in the pillow, fought the itch to thrash at hot sheets.
But I wake the same from this made-to-measure mattress, where I lie long and limp as a lifeless whip: surprised I haven’t dreamt these legs I swing over the side.
3 comments:
I CANNOT imagine growing pains stretched over an entire lifetime...
I like how he comes out of sleep surprised at his physical reality.
A tall person tip: when I'm not that aware of the rest of the world, I feel normal. Right-sized. It's only when I stand next to someone short that I realize that I'm bigger/taller than most...
Love folded tight as a bat, such great resonances, how they tuck themselves into small crevices. Love sleep loosened my grip and legs gave chase. Like "rangy, press them back into their source." So much great stuff here. The prose form works well. Keep these poems coming...
Yes, there's lots of good stuff here. It's full of words that evoke physical sensations, and that really brings the reader up close. The other part I liked was"long and limp as a lifeless whip."
I did wonder about the coyotes in stanza 2. In st. 1 the brothers were in bed with him, but "coyotes my only company" makes it sound like he's alone in the room.
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