Another sip of hot, honey-sweetened chamomile tea. More clock ticks, and the hum of the refrigerator. Soft light from the new stainless-steel ceiling fan illuminates both the walls’ yellow eggshell finish and the golden brown of our “Grandma’s” table.
If not for the hour, this could be morning.
But it’s not morning: it’s half-past eleven at night. In less than five-and-a-half hours, the alarm will sound. But here I am, sipping my cooling tea to soothe my restless mind and fatigue-ached body.
A nameless grief groans within, but my effort to listen to it gags it. And images arise again, the same revolting, enticing ones that so often do at times like these. When sleep eludes, while time passes.
Deep dark even on Sunday night highway traffic
Photo by Cloris Ying
first published in Image Curve, March 19, 2020
for Poets and Storytellers United’s Writers’ Pantry #12: You Gotta Know When to Hold ‘Em (posted by Rommy)
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Frank J. Tassone 
…and this is the time words begin to percolate and cogitate and soon you’re reaching for pen and paper. A poem is born!
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Very well written – and most intriguing, leaving me wondering just what those images are (but maybe not really wanting to know).
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It’s indeed rather difficult to soothe the nerves .. especially nowadays with chaos and turmoil clawing at us from all sides.. having had a few insomnia episodes myself I can relate to “A nameless grief groans within, but my effort to listen to it gags it.” May we rise above the darkness .. always 💝
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Haibunilicious. These times serve my inner hermit well, though I can see that they don’t sit well with everyone. Hang in there, Brother.
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It’s hard to know what day it is, what time it is.. We are at the mercy of our thoughts and it appears many can’t handle it.
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True enough, although I wrote this one a few years ago. If I knew then what I know now… LOL! 🙂 Thanks!
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I love the phrase “insomnial evening”…and I definitely appreciate “A nameless grief groans within”.
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Thank you, Rhen! 🙂
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My pleasure 🙂
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The beauty of retirement is that you have the control of when ou get up so bad night just means late breakfast!
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Sounds excellent, Robin! 🙂
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Had to laugh at Robin .. yep, we sleep when we want, eat when we want, drink when we want! Thanks for a great write!
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Those nameless griefs seem to ache the most…
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Indeed. Thank you! 🙂
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