Insomniacās Reply
Different testimonies of insomniacs around the world.
Overwrought, hardly slept but overjoyed
when my wife brought our girl into this world.
She cried and then it finally sank
that for as long as Iām alive, Iāll be insomniac.
He loses sleep, wondering
how will he raise her to believe that
a vagina is worth just as much as a penis
and she could always be more than
what the society wants her to be,
I toss and turn at night, hoping she knows
that she looks good either with makeup on or
just a paint of her smile on her naked, innocent face.
That she need not lose sleep whether I love her
because itās true; I do.
Hours fly away the way I lost my heart with the way she thinks,
her opinion on politics, her principles stand where mine cannot.
The way she worked hard at this company and her colleagues tell me
sheāll get the promotion finally.
I stay awake as she asks whether Iām fine
being at home while she works.
I donāt mind the chores, the baby cries in the night.
I enjoy taking care of our family and I hope she can leave it to me.
Our daughter grows up and I skip nights
thinking how I should confront that neighbor about her right to dress
the way she wants and ask him to stop staring at her legs.
I hold wall the women close in my life
as I said goodbye to hours of sleep trying hard toĀ
make this world better for them and that they are not alone
as they drift in and out of rest to advocate their rights.
Together, we will be insomniacs.
