Sleeping disturbed
by a noise in the night
melatonin evaporates in plain sight
and wasn’t there that poem I should write?
Then that other poem, two challenges, a novel…
~don’t forget
you have to get
the kids to school on time~
Writers should never write, then
maybe we would have the time to live
but without writing
would we feel
alive?
© 2021 experimentsinfiction.com. All Rights Reserved.
Written for dVerse
Tonight, Sanaa is hosting dVerse Poetics, and she asks us to look at derivatives:
In case, you opt for this part of the challenge, I would like you to think along the lines of blockage. It can be anything.
You could choose to write about words seeming far out of reach of the Poet’s hands or as an obstruction which makes movement or flow difficult or impossible.
Take out a notebook and while allowing your mind to be free from thoughts, write down the first few words that come.
My words were: Can’t sleep anymore tonight over. Following Sanaa’s instructions, I replaced one of the words (‘sleep’) with a derivative, and went on to write a poem on the theme of insomnia. I’m lucky in that I don’t suffer from writer’s block. Instead, sometimes I have to block the words out, or I’d never sleep!
I chose the title ‘melatonin,’ because I wondered what causes that fuzzy feeling when you first wake up, and feel as though you could fall straight back to sleep. It turns out this hormone is responsible.
The bar opens from 3pm EST – join us!
I love the conclusion… writing can be so absorbing so you wonder how we can have time to live… but being alive is the most important.
I agree with you, Björn: we should do whatever makes us feel alive (within reason, of course!)
Writing can be all too consuming. I know that at night, the writing deadlines comes to my head as well. But deadlines spurs me to writing, smiles.
Yes: they can be both a good and a bad thing 😅 thank you Grace!
Beautifully, beautifully done, Ingrid! 😀 I am so pleased you went with option B of the challenge. Yours is a dazzling poem that ends with a question which perhaps we all ask ourselves from time to time. I say, write on! Thank you so much for adding your voice to the prompt 💝💝
Thank you so much Sanaa – I wrote it in a bout of insomnia at 4am 😴💕💕
I like the stream of consciousness feel to this one, which is what often “evaporates melatonin.” Spinning Shakespeare, “to write or not to write, that is the question.”
Thank you Lisa – that’s exactly right, thoughts get in the way and that’s the end of sleep!
You’re welcome, Ingrid.
How I love this piece, Ingrid, especially the question at end for I know that all time is precious to me and time with words more precious still. <3
Thank you so much Jaya! I agree that time with words is special, as is time with family, time in nature – it’s all about balance!
Brava Ingrid! You speak the truth. It is not writer’s block we have, it’s a time block ☺️💕
Absolutely 😅 thanks Christine 💕
Beautifully written, Ingrid! i often write when i should be sleeping. Not sorry about that! 🙂
Nor am I, I just need to make time for sleep occasionally! Thank you Cheryl ❤️
sleep what is sleep? i have had nights with hardly a wink slept so get the melatonin kicking in at luchtime. I have been nudged at the end of lunch break on more than once.. great poem
Thanks Rog! I never have problems falling asleep at night, but I’ll often wake up in the early hours, and sometimes I can’t resist using that quiet time to compose!
👍
We’re always internally writing and creating! Getting it down on paper is a challenge. Great piece! 💕
Thank you Tricia 💕💕
Damn, I feel this. I barely have time to write poetry anymore and I honestly feel so… well, I feel an absence and honestly, uninspired. Beautifully penned, Ingrid. Goes to show how life finds a way to both give us time for what we love and divide it into things we must do to keep life going. All about priorities, of course. I think writing is living–I live more in fiction with that excitement than reality (which, yes, that can be depressing). Reality is just what it is and it can often be disappointing. If I’m not writing, I’m not living lol. 😛
It’s a difficult balance, isn’t it? I really feel the pressure to make money from my writing now, otherwise I’ll have to return to work and then I can forget about writing 😬
Words should stay alive a poet needs to write
Happy Tuesday
Much💖love
Exactly Gillena! Thanks for reading ❤️
Love this, Ingrid. 🥰 With busy lives it’s a wonder writers find the time to write, but you are proof that is possible. For too long I did not have/make the time to write creatively. Writing brought me back to life. 💓
I know the feeling Michele. In the end you have to prioritise – and nowadays I prioritise the things that make me feel alive!
This kicks ass Ingrid! Well written. Love the ethereal of creating, bridged with the practical of living. Always tough to balance. As an ongoing insomniac, my recipe to get my 5-6 hours of sleep at night is this. When I begin to feel the hint of oncoming wane, I take my Zolpidem. Then when I feel I might actually sleep, I hit with a two-pill Melatonin chaser. Usually will keep me sleeping at least 5 hours. When it doesn’t, I just start writing again, knowing I’m probably gonna take a nap at some point. Sleep tight tonight 😴 my friend… ✌🏼🙂
Thank you Rob – it’s also a fine balance between sleep and creativity, as your comment shows 😊
lol you nailed it Ingrid, when I first started writing poetry I was told ‘so long as it doesn’t interfer with your life’. So I ensure proper breaks, turn off the mental chatter when it’s time to sleep, etc … such a relief that it’s part of my life but doesn’t rule it 🙂
It is great if you can achieve that balance! Thank you Kate 😊
Only because I started that way … if I’d just followed my initial instinct it would be a very different story
A dilemma. I’m in awe at people who can write and publish as they’re raising little humans. I couldn’t. Sure I wrote– writing is breathing, but was too busy to ever give publishing a second of my thoughts.
Keep going, you. You are amazing.
Well, they’re both at school now so that helps 😅 thank you Selma!
but without writing
would we feel
alive?
Great close, Ingrid! Would one feel lost and useless with all the time in the world.at our disposal? Writing is the savior!
Hank
Thanks Hank – I agree 💯 %
I can totally relate, Ingrid. I am easily disturbed in the night too, mostly by my own thoughts. And I often wonder why the urge to write comes to me then when I really need to rest?! 😀 Thanks for teaching me a new word 🙂
Thanks Sunra – good to know I’m not alone in this! 🙂
Such a conundrum for writers, Ingrid! Our words make us feel alive and then life intervenes. You captured it so beautifully and eloquently. ❤️
Thank you Punam! ❤️
My pleasure. 😊
For me, Part II of Sanaa’s challenge was most difficult. You managed it beautifully. Well penned Ms. Ingrid … well penned.
Thank you Helen 🙏
the eternal question of the artist: does art get in life’s way, or does life get in art’s way. Well done.
Thanks Xan – I’m not sure I know the answer!
An important and intriguing question, Ingrid. Nicely done! Sometimes it’s difficult to write, but yet we still want to!
(I don’t normally have a problem sleeping, but the other night I did.) 😀
It can happen to the best of us 😅
Yep, often up til 2am vowing never to do it again.
I often get up at 2am and regret it by 2pm 😅
I so relate to this, Ingrid 🙂
My response is yes – but I would be very sad!
<3
David
Good to see you back David – hope you had a great Rosh Hashanah! 👋
restful 🙂
thanks, Ingrid <3
I love the different line lengths in this poem. The rhythm feels like how your thoughts are broken up when you wake up at night. And my favourite line: Writers should never write, then / maybe we would have the time to live. That’s such a good line.
Thank you for your close reading and kind comments, Constance!
without writing our minds would be so congested,
That is very true! 🤯
“Without writing would we feel alive” Oh, you mean this is normal, and not just me?
It’s normal for me!
Ingrid,
Beautifully posed inquiry, sharp with meaning!
pax,
dora
Thank you Dora! 😊
Ah! This is profound. 🙂 You’ve captured the conundrum beautifully, Ingrid.
Thank you so much! 😊
You are welcome. 🙂
Oh fer godsake you read my mind with this one my friend. Happy sleeping and living.. and now I’m behind again. What kids? lol!💖💖💖💖❤️🤣
I hope you catch up soon: on sleep and life 😅💕🤗
thanks friend and you too!!!💖
To write is to live for me now. It took me a while to realize that but now I firmly do. 💜
I’m glad you do, Jude! 😊