Poetry

I can't sleep
So I retreat to the comfort of sweet lyrical verses across the white pages to calm me
To soothe me like the swift, tranquil movement of the waves in the Nile River
To put me at a state of peace
Like a mother leaning over her newborn child, singing her a sweet lullaby with a soft, caressing voice
Begging her father to come hither
And hold her tight, rocking her to sleep in the warmth of his arms and drawing her nearer

I can't breathe
So I retreat to the soft spoken free verse rhymes that bring light to the troubles of the world
Like a caveman as he lights a fire to fill his cave with the brightness needed to find something to satisfy his thirst and hunger
Like God as He brought light into the universe, creating a beautiful state of being
Like a beautiful psychedelic rainbow after the storm and roaring thunder
That soothes the children of the world
Like an angelic blue jay singing

I can't cope
It feels like the world is engulfing me in a raging storm
With winds as strong as Hurricane Katrina as it destroyed New Orleans in 2005
Like the earthquakes that devoured Haiti and Japan
Suffocating me as I fight to survive

Poetry is my lifeline
My respirator that's keeping me alive as I'm on life support, hanging on by the thread of hope
Poetry is my best friend
That stays up with me till the crack of dawn
Always lending a helping hand or a listening ear
It is the reason for my existence and survival today
And has always been there to help guide me to find my way
It is the lines on my paper
The ink to my pen
The breath to my soul
That has always been there to comfort me from beginning to end
 

Poetry is my other half
My peace of mind
My armor on the battlefield
My lapse of time