Sleepless

He’s been gone long enough that my bed’s gone cold without him,
but not long enough for me to have washed his scent from the sheets –
and every time I lie down, the reminder is too powerful
and I sit right back up again and go to work.

I haven’t slept in days,
but I can’t bring myself to do the laundry.

Maybe if I swallow some sleeping pills,
I’ll fall into unconsciousness
just beginning to dream of him.

If I’m lucky,
it’ll be a nightmare

and I’ll wake,
ready to wash away his memory
and wrench my life out of the past.