Can’t sleep, oh the World Series what’s the score?

Can’t sleep, that project’s going to be such a chore

Can’t sleep, now why did I say that silly goofy thing?

Can’t seep, my neighbor had someone over for a fling

Can’t sleep, who honks and plays music at this hour?

Can’t sleep, whatever I had for dinner’s gone sour

Can’t sleep, shouldn’t have had that extra Red Bull

Can’t sleep, why’d I oversleep - life is just too cruel

1. Building a tolerance to current

sleep medication.

2. Distractions around the house

(thermostat kicks on and off,

conversations taking place in

other rooms, T.V. and radios)

3. Outdoor distractions (dogs

barking, cars driving by, horns

honking, loud neighbors)

4. Significant others sawing longs in

bed right next to you a.k.a.

snoring.

5. Can't find a comfortable

position.

6. Mind doesn’t processing

information.

7. Diagnosed with insomnia.

I can't sleep

My thoughts are all knotted, and I need to untangle them

They're so simple once they're all laid out in a straight line

I can't sleep

My heart's emotions are overflowing from the barricade that's held them back all day

After the tears and heartache, I feel at peace

I can't sleep

My feet are travelling imaginary roads, on a fantastical adventure only I can see

The road is beautiful, I never want to reach my destination

I can't sleep

The shadows of doubt haunting the corners of my mind are ready to attack

I must defend the torch light I have left in all this darkness

I can't sleep

I am in the middle of a conversation with an imaginary person of my own creation

The coffee smells delicious and the shop we are in is small and cozy

I can't sleep

I am exploring who I am and my place in this world, realizing how small I am

But also realizing that a particle in the universe is a universe all on its own

I can't sleep

There's a show that's got me hooked, and I need to watch the next episode

3am: I'm still watching it as I drift in and out of dreams

Dear Death,

I wanna bet.

No, not on the outcome of this game

That would surely be insane.

But that in life I will do better

So that when you come, I’ll be greater

To prove to you, that even if you’re inevitable

My life’s irrelevance is all but evitable.

The rules have been set

Will you stick around to see it met?

Or will you too, take on the bet?

Since the beginning of time, humans have gazed up to the sky and wondered, "What the hell was that bird doing?"

Bird training has a long and rich history, though it is worth noting that the most renowned bird demolition experts died in fiery explosions. For centuries, the bird demolition field hit a dead end, and the most anyone expected out of a carrier pigeon was a self-destructing message.

But, in recent years, one man has revolutionized the field of bird demolition. From a young age, "Boom Man" Richard Pryce found birds drawn to him.

"I dunno, there was just something about me," he said in an interview. "I would, you know, be outside playing, and I'd look up, and then just... Just birds, everywhere in the yard. Like, sparrows, crows, robins, cardinals, swans, geese... Just an amazing number and variety of birds."

When asked how he came to be involved in the bird demolitions field, he replied, with a bit of self-deprecating laughter, "I dunno, I guess I got really tired of seeing all these birds following me. I mean, I'd go outside, and if I stood still for ten minutes, BANG! I'd be covered in feathers. Cause they'd just get really excited, you know? And they'd start flying around, and sooner or later, one of them would just, just fly into a window or something. And, you know, that was when I figured out that these birds, these amazing birds, they would explode if they flew into each other hard enough. That's a trade secret. Not everyone knows that, but it's true."

'Boom Man' Richard Pryce has become famous for his work in the field of pyrotechnics, namely for his use of an exploding flock of sparrows.

"Yeah, the Shooting Sparrow. That was the first firebird I ever came up with. I must've been, oh, eight or so when I came up with it. It happened when I saw the most amazing sight. I saw this huge, absolutely huge flock just way up high, kind of wheeling around. And they saw me, so the next thing, you know, BOOM! This massive explosion, from all these birds just... just banging into each other. I was cleaning bird bits out of my hair for a week! But yeah, that really got me thinking."

When asked how he made the jump from bird demolition to pyrotechnics, Pryce had only one thing to say:

"I mean, what else was I going to do with a bunch of exploding birds? Eat them?"

I wish you knew exactly what I meant.

When I told you I loved you.

When I brushed your hair. 

When I gave you a ride home.

When I took you out to eat.

When I paid for your food. 

When I cried with you.

When I helped you up.

When I was there for you.

When I pushed you away.

When I friend-zoned you.

When I got jealous.

When I saw you with someone else. 

When I betrayed you.

When I kissed you.

When I wanted you back.

When I replaced you.

When I stopped loving you. 

Loud as I can

I scratch and kick

No sound

But listen

Not with your ears

Hear

With your heart

All I need

To say

**to all my students, nonverbal, who constantly teach me how to be a better listener:  "Thank you"

I wish you knew exactly what I meant. I wish I could show you my mind and how it works, and how I feel and what I see. I wish I could explain my thoughts and why I'm so erratic sometimes. The emotions I don't have words for. Everything. But I also wish I wasn't talking to myself.

I know you're probably not home

but I'm taking all of these high risks

optimistic, I guess,

hoping that one day--

just maybe,

you'll come back to me.

I told you those three words

the other day, outta that office job

we've spent months at, hoping that's

cubicles would close up on us;

ice cream breaks on Wednesday afternoons

sun setting ever-so-slowly

bubblegum flavors, intermingled through wet, meaningless

kisses.

Maybe you didn't understand.

©SelfTitled, 2017