It’s been four days
And I’ve gotten no sleep
My eyes itch
My arms hurt
And my legs ache like I ran a marathon

I’ve cried
I’ve prayed
I’ve begged
I’ve tried meditation
And my chamomile tea has failed me

Sleeplessness
is not new to me
but this is the first time
it’s gone on for this long

I almost drifted off tonight
and I was happy
that I was finally going to get some rest
but something brought me back

I’ve searched my mind
to figure out if something is bugging me
I’ve said affirmations I created for this specific purpose
I even moved bedtime forward to two hours earlier

Tossing and turning are getting boring
So I will sit upright
Stare at the ceiling
And look for a pill
If I can’t take it anymore

Mariam Shittu