INSOMNASYTHESIA

 

I’d sleep if I could

but behind the raucous clouds

banging their thunderous pots and gongs

a torrent of burbling stars

floods the sky

blaring the ode to joy

 

I’d sleep if I could

but some aphorist keeps saying

‘necessity is the mother of invention’

and I think

NO

things just are

they don’t need to be

and necessity

that hunger in the belly

is just as much enslaver as creator

But what would Dionysius say?

That he needed to invent wine

so that he could get good and drunk?

 

I’d sleep if I could

but Bacchus is snoring too loudly

after the bacchanal

the one I’d not been invited to

since I’m not on facebook

and don’t follow twitter 

 

I’d sleep if I could

but I think maybe I am asleep

and just don’t know it yet

or maybe I’ll not find out

except in a dream

the one where Bach and Bacchus

are dancing rumba together

singing Beethoven’s ode to joy

both a little drunk

out of necessity of course

​

Denny Stern