by Lena Samson
I lie in bed, awake
then
It slithers in
Disrupting my cocooned warmth,
My shattered sleep.
I yearn to dream of beaches, laughter, starry skies
But the villain injects its venom
into my thoughts.
Vivid memories of pain, insults, betrayal
of my trust, my love.
My brain replays the biting words
Seared so deeply into my heart.
Leave me, villain!
I cast you out, back to your fetid lair
I will not allow you entry
To poison my night again.
You are the vile past
Now I am in control
I have built my sanctuary
That you will never enter.
I roll to a cooler spot
Rearrange my pillow, nestle fetally
Treasuring the soft sheets against my skin.
My comforter comforts me
I cherish the cool night air
The stillness in the soft silence
I smile, burrowing deeper
And drift off to curious, unexpected dreams.
***
Lena Samson is a writer and editor living outside of Ottawa, Canada. She writes to deal with past traumas and to connect with others through shared heartfelt expression. Lena is an active board member of Ottawa Independent Writers and Editor in Chief of their annual anthology. Her stories have appeared in the 2023 anthology, Connections, and the 2024 anthology, This Land.
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