the way i sleep

the way i sleep is often interpretative
heart beating too fast, too loud
or following the rhythm of the crickets
(whose legs rub against one another)
singing a local weather report
if you could calculate each lull between
you'd know exactly what temperature the small space under your refrigerator
or in the wall behind your toilet was

the way i sleep is like that

or bloated, a heavy balloon
filled to burst before any chance of escaping
up or until limp and flat again
pain before release relief

hot feet
to slip free
face to find the cool side of the pillow
(again, again)
body to twist and spin
until the knee almost reaches chin
arms cross and mind shuts off and tunes out
the crickets or clocks or distant murmurings

heart to steady

this is how i sleep

i forget
to be awake.