What a Time to Be Alive

by CindyUng

July 21, 2015

It’s 2 am in the morning

And I’m shivering silly from cold,

Blubbering with fever,

And that cricket just won’t stop chirping --

How lovely that my sister is snoring a storm.

But laying amongst the navy blue,

I notice that street lights

Have never been more brighter at this time --

Even when cars won’t pass for hours,

When city-goers are drenched in sleep,

How gallant that they still shine for them!

There is only so much time

That sunrays would cross upon my highways,

Amid all the speed bumps and pot holes,

Before the traffic lights never blink again:

How soothing it is to drink warm honey tea

For a sore throat at 2 am in the morning;

How loving it is to be in a snug embrace

With a blanket of cotton --

What noble valor that a creature

Dares to sing alone to those

That may not listen;

What a relief that a banshee’s call

Flaunts my sister’s gift

Of dreaming.

The split between dusk and dawn

Is shone if you open them just a crack --

Sickness may be heavy

But the smell of fried eggs in the morning

Is more uplifting than the moon;

Grudges as solid as candle wax

But sleep can melt them down to nothing

Even without the sun:

When there is crying, there is handkerchiefs

When there is silence, there is listening

Where there is thawing, there is spring.

When there are pieces, there is glue

When there are sore cheeks, there is laughing

When there are roads, there is life.

And when there is space, there is home.

Goodnight,

My wonderful sleepers,

Goodnight!

It’s 2:30 am in the morning

And I have never been cozier,

Coughing with such volume

That my sister flinched awake --

The cricket has now joined an orchestra.

And in just a few hours,

Amid the hushed darkness,

Again the sunrise will greet us.

Her awesome, glowing cheeks

Bestowing her rays

Along our highways

Of joy!

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CindyUng

Find me where the heart beats faster and the mind runs clearly. If you turn around, you might catch a glimpse of moonlight: Hold it close and you may hear the whispers of my aches and dreams. Speak softly now, you might scare the strength out of me. You'll never know where my thoughts will go next, just let me be the one driving this journey. Someday I'll return to the stars and sleep in the void, a place where I hope to find colors I've never seen before. And when I master the art of painting into the galaxies of pain and recovery, I will discover the truth in me. I will be free, I will be free. Let the constellations tattoo the spaces of my body. ***If you ever want me to check out your poetry, feel free to let me know!***

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