From the moment my one leg slipped out of the blanket
to cool its sunburns and blisters again

I knew I might never find peace; I’ll be stuck
counting sheep between dreams again and again.

I knew, that there were parts of my body
gasping to breathe in full breaths again

that also my nightlamp just would not stop blinking
so I pulled the plug out of its socket again.

And I knew my fingers would tremble at 90°
conscious to speak in whole words again.

So I settled. My braces needed tightening in
case my lips started to twitch again.

I knew that the thoughts in my head, racing,
were struggling to find their pace again

so I got out of bed and drove in my jammies
at 90 on the highway to Wendy’s again.

Niharika Shah