Water

The clock tick tocks

I can’t feel my socks

The hair inside my nose tickles me awake.

My ears are shrinking

My toes are stinking

My heart is sinking- the dream is ending.

Dream a little dreaming

But no one hears me screaming

As I stumble to sit- I’m wide awake.

“Rub me,” whispers Eye.

“Itch me,” says Arm.

“I ache,” mumbles Back.

And then

Even worse than all of them

“Water.”

I shiver on the edge

Of my cold little bed.

“Water,” demands Brain.

I shake my head. No. Not tonight.

“WATER,” it says, a little louder.

So I resign myself

To my 3 a.m. march

At the command of my own head.