By Peter Giblett
06/27/2017
Introduction
A couple of years ago I asked myself the question – which areas of writing do you need to grow most in? The answer related to two areas I have always seen as a personal challenge – humour and poetry. The first remains a challenge to work on in the future.
This poem is a part of tackling one part of the challenge. In April 2016 I said of Poetry:
“I have always considered poetry to be the highest form of writing as it brings many great elements of the art of writing together, it can twist music and words together into a common bond and at the same time paint a picture that goes far beyond words alone. The relationship between bear and bare is something we all understand yet when used appropriately can aid the rhythmic effect of a poem, when used cleverly can introduce humour, happiness, sadness, and many other emotions.” I Wish to Write Better Poetry by Peter Giblett
Poems have many challenges, I prefer the rhyming variety and do break my words down into verses and sections as the poem proceeds. Above all, I welcome thoughts on my own poetic style. Please dissect, and give me hints for improvement.
Nothing…
Tick, then nothing, full stop.
Tock, much more nothing.
Time goes slowly by
What happened? The clock has
Stopped or something?
Tick, more nothing. Any rope?
Tock. What is happening
to time? My oh my.
It shuddered. Who the heck cares?
Bored and brooding.
“Lick it!” Get Moving, Find some hope,
“Make it get going.”
I’m caught, my oh my
“Day dreaming.” He muttered. ”aware’s.”
“Heard or reading?”
Tick, more nothing. Full stop.
Tock, much more nothing.
Is it time to die?
What happened? Has he
Stopped or something?
Stopped or Going?
Speak, do something, don’t stop.
Jock, simply not used to nothing
Roam the land, take a try
He muttered, I must find where it is
Stopped or going?
Sleep more or get going? Up the slope.
Heck, no more mulling
All a blur, open the other eye
It spluttered, like an engine which missed
“gotta” get moving
What am I doing? Find a little hope
Specks of light, was he blind?
The room’s full of dark, why?
What happened? Where is this?
Home surely, his last memory.
Speak, do something, tick tock.
What? simply not used to nothing
Roam the land, take a try
He spluttered, I must find where is this?
The clock not going?
Time?
Tick, then nothing, what time, what time?
Tock, why the nothing?
My… oooooohhhh… My!
Where is the clock? Why all this?
Stopped or something?
What? Stretch, yawn, WAKE UP!
Clock, what are you not working?
Look around, find why,
Why am I lost in time to this?
Stuck, like treacle pudding.
“Ticket!” she asked, where was he this time?
“Clock, help me help me what’s with the morning?”
Why? Oh! please help me… Why?
“Sire, it’s two twenty-five”
Speaking clock, that’s something.
Tick, then nothing, what time, what time?
Tock, why the worrying?
Why… oooooohhhh… Why?
He looked at the clock? 2 twenty 5!
Need to sleep or something?
Sleep, Please Sleep
Must sleep, must sleep, ignore time.
Think, oh think of nothing
No sense in worrying, Poof! Pie!
Eyes closed – empty mind – sleep tight
Please nothing, no mocking, oh my!
Need sleep or something?
Not eyes open, sleep till morn…
Lock! Lock those eyes shut, stop thinking.
Don’t hound, leave me
I want sleep, mists or wisps
everything can wait till morning.
Kick it! Stop thinking, fall asleep
Rack it, stop thinking
I’m caught, my oh my
Start dreaming, no matter, where’s
time for sleeping?
Tick, no more. Please stop.
Tock, please sleep and dream.
It is surely time to fly
in a dream, no end. It is
Sleep or something?
Reprise!
Tick, then nothing, what time, what time?
Tock, why the nothing?
My… oohh… My!
Where is the clock? Why all this?
Stopped or something?
Why? Not sleep, I don’t want to be up
Stop, brain, please stop working
Walk around, no don’t, try!
Try, try, be lost in the dream, not this
Stuck, like sticky pudding.
“What is it?” she asked, where was he this time?
“Clock, help me help me what’s with the morning?”
Why? Oh! please help me… Why?
“Sire, it’s two twenty-six”
Speaking clock, be gone, be g – o – n – e.
Tick, then nothing, whh… Am I thinking about time?
Tock, why the worrying?
Why… ooooohhhhh… Why?
He looked at the clock? 2 twenty 6!
Trying to sleep or something!
Sleep… Try Again
Must sleep, must sleep, ignore time.
Think, oh think of nothing
Clear the mind, dream again.
Eyes closed – empty mind – sleep tight
Please nothing, no waking, oh my!
Need sleep not waking!
Eyes closed, sleep till morn…
Lock! Lock! Lock those eyes shut.
I command – worries leave me.
Come sleep, hints and dreams
everything else can wait till morning.
Kick it! Stop thinking, sleep, sleep.
Stack it, sheep counting
I’m caught, my oh my
Start dreaming, patter, patter, there’s
time for sleeping!
Tick, tock. Tick tock. Please more.
Tock, tick, sleep and dream.
It is surely time to fly
in a dream, no end. It is
Sleep and nothing?
Dream on
Must sleep, must sleep, dream on.
Think, oh think of nothing
Empty mind, dream and dream again.
Eyes closed – empty mind – dream away
Please nothing, just dreams, just dreams
Dreams please come. Sleep!
Eyes closed, sleep till morn…
Dream, dream, dream away.
I command – Dreams please come.
Come sleep, dreams and adventures
everything else can wait till morning.
Kick it! Start dreaming, sleep, sleep.
Stack it, dream time
All for naught? Is it why?
Start dreaming, pitter, patter, now is
time for sleeping!
Tick, tock. Tick tock. Dream on.
Tock, tick, sleep and dream.
It is surely time to fly
in a dream, and adventure
Sleep and more nothing?
More Nothing!
Tick, then nothing, full stop.
Tock, again more nothing.
Time has stopped again
What happened? The clock has
Again! Why tonight?
Why? Not sleep, I don’t want to be up
Stop, brain, please stop working
Walk around, no don’t, try!
Try, try, be lost in the dream, not this
Stuck, doing nothing.
“Admit it.” she said, get it this time!
“Clock, help me help me again the morning?”
Why? Oh! please help me…
“Sire, it’s four o’ six”
Speaking clock, again, again?
Tick, then nothing, why am I thinking about time?
Tock, why the sweating?
Why… oooohhhh… Why?
He looked at the clock? 4:06!
Trying to sleep or something!
Mind Games
Must sleep, must sleep, But why?
It’s nearly morning, waking soon.
No sense in worrying, sleep now.
Just suppose – we wake up.
Please nothing, no mocking, oh my!
Need to sleep surely the best thing?
Not eyes open, sleep till morn…
Lock! Lock those eyes shut, stop thinking.
But it’s nearly morning, get up
I want sleep, I want to waken
Wait or go now – the question.
Kick it! Stop thinking, fall asleep
Stop it, start doing
I’m caught, too little time
Start dreaming – no wake up!
Decide, stop fighting.
Tick, no more. Please stop.
Tock, please sleep and dream.
It is surely time to sleep
Then dream, till morning. Wish
Sleep, please sleep.
Mo’ Mind Games
Must sleep, Why bother? Why bother?
It’s nearly morning, waking soon.
No sense in sleeping now.
Wake up – wake up!
Too late, no mocking, oh my!
Or is sleep surely the best thing?
Not eyes open, sleep till morn…
Lock! Lock those eyes shut, stop thinking.
But it’s nearly morning, get up
I want sleep, I want to waken
Wait or wake now – the question.
Kick it! Stop thinking, sleep, sleep
Stop it, start going
I’m caught, too little time
Wake up – no start dreaming!
Decide, stop fighting.
Tick, no more. Please stop.
Tock, please sleep and dream.
It is surely time to sleep
Then dream, till morning. Please.
Sleep, please sleep.
****
Feature photo credit: Mind blown by Conmongt CC0 Public Domain image
Monthly Contributor
Peter B. Giblett
Peter B. Giblett is a freelance editor and writer with a background in business and technology management. He is also a non-practising lawyer. English born, now living in Canada. He’s an Alumni of City University (London) and University of West London. Entrant and winner of National Novel Writing Month 2015, a novel he is currently editing. He runs his own blog at called GobbledeGoox, which provides thoughts on writing, blogging, words, and word-craft.
Published posts on Two Drops of Ink:
2) The Simple way to Write Non-fiction Creatively
3) Living a Golden Era? Are you a Serious Writer?
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Peter, I like your definition of poetry! I have to admit that I struggle to make sense of poetry, much like I do with math 🙂 However, I did get the “feel” of a long sleepless night from your poem! Unfortunately, I have been there many times myself. I don’t know if writers are insomniacs or insomniacs are writers!??
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One of the things about creative pieces is that they tend to have a life of their own. What started about time stopping randomly ended up being about one of those nights when sleep is impossible. The times may differ but this night has repeated itself many times over my life.
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Peter, you assembled a very clever portrait of a sleepless night with the inner desire to quite ones mind. The harder you try the worse off you become. I feel you captured a snapshot of my restless mind after a very long day. Thank you!
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John, it was a delight to hear from you. I was thinking about adding more sections about how worse the feeling becomes, but felt I had gone far enough.
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I know this place!! Another insomniac…who also happens to be a writer. 🙂
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Michelle, I normally sleep very well, but occasionally get those nights where sleep will not come when you wake early in the morning. You then get into the battle about the value of further sleep as you need to be awake in an hour (or perhaps a little/lot more).
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