Letter from Insomnia

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Posting this in response to Jeff Schwaner’s Full Moon Social. No time to write a new one, so I hope this oldie will do.

Letter from Insomnia

Accepting Li Po’s tragedy,
apocryphal or not,

we embrace her imperfect
reflection
rippling in the breeze,

but manage to surface.

I once thought I would name a child Luna
and she would glow at night

and like Hendrix, kiss the sky.
But that was whimsy

and only candles light this room
at this hour
on this particular day
in this year of the snake.

And what fool would reach for a stone orbiting at
1,023 meters per second?

There are clouds to consider, the stars
and the scattering rain

and of course wine
and the possibilities within each glass
and the drops therein.
We must discuss these matters

under her gaze, where smallness gathers.

This originally appeared in Middle Gray in October, 2013. It was written in response to a poem my friend Michael sent me, replying to this poem.

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40 thoughts on “Letter from Insomnia”

  10. Pingback: Letter from Insomnia | momentarylapseofsanity

  13. Truly fascinating (intriguing even) how I stumbled onto you then onto this poem by you after writing one about this same “stone orbiting at 1,023 meters per second” . This stone…384,400 km away , through which humanity shares its unyielding seduction through space-time.
    Absolutely stunning poem Robert…and I thank you for referring back to the other writings that have influenced yours. I really enjoy to see this interconnectedness manifest itself here…
    PWP

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  14. Many thanks for stopping by and Liking “Morning Aperture,” my response in poetry and photo to the DailyPost Challenge: Boundaries. I do the Challenge often, but not every week. I feel the “double whammy” of the challenge….as I am interpreting the word “boundaries” in word and photo. But I do enjoy….being in the rejuvenatement period of my life (see my About).

    “I once thought I would name a child Luna
    and she would glow at night”

    While the entire piece is exquisite, these are the words that resonate with me. Although specific, within the context of this poem, they also have a universal reach as they finger their way into my perception and mind, and I make a connection here, as do other readers I’m sure. Each parent names their child with such hopes….to glow, to shine, to live, to love. This is a beautiful line that lives outside the poem, as well as within.

    I do enjoy this cyber world of blogging — having only begun writing poetry in February, then becoming self-taught in WordPress and starting my blog in March. I especially like the “return” policy that seems somewhat inherent to the process — as you Like something I write, then I have the opportunity, over my evening glass of chardonnay 🙂 , to visit your site and peruse your words, art, photos, whatever it may be for the particular Like. And here, I found this piece. I thank you.

    Do hope you’ll stop by again! Happy to meet you here.
    Lillian

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