And When I Sleep

My days spill out in front of me

A torrent I can barely see, let alone catch

To-do lists scrawled in Pilot G-2 ink

Every item elbowing for space

My days are run-on sentences

My asthmatic lungs can barely read

I wish I had an inhaler for my brain

And punctuation for my life

Except

There’s something beautiful

About a life that leaves you breathless

“Dear God,” she prayed, “let me be something every minute of every hour of my life….And when I sleep, let me dream all the time so that not one little piece of living is ever lost.” -Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

12 thoughts on “And When I Sleep

  1. Oh my god I love this! Ahhhhh it makes me want to start writing again.
    For real though, you were my favorite teacher in high school! I miss your class so much 💔
    I still think about you a lot- I don’t know if you know how much you mean to me and how much you helped me through my depression
    Thank you Gull ❤️❤️ keep being amazing

    Like

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