a long way



I've come a long, long way
there's never been
anything to wake up to
a recurrent theme through
the decades
of rejection
decades of fighting and
troubles ahead

I've come a long, long way
raised with so many reasons
to go to bed
early at night
trying to escape
the frights of reality
sorrow and depression
sleep has always been
my dearest companion

I've come
a long, long way
from the Cain and Abel
to the Sermon on the Mount
opening doors
easier said than done
you never consider the rust
the strength it takes
the pain to
knock them open

I've come a long, long way
from weary shoulders
weighed down in early years to
the luxury of sleeping
safe and sound
relaxing muscles
lifting spirits
until dawn and
the waking moments of
returning

I've come a long, long way
from scared to fresh
from sad to sleepy
decades of refuge and
automatic retreat for
self-protection
I've witnessed
destruction of the self
too many times for
so many reasons
it took me
decades
of going to bed
to finally wake up
without aching muscles
or protection