she lay awake

She lay awake and looked above
Her hand reaching for the sky
She touched the ceiling – broke the glass
And knew that she could fly

She lay awake and felt a rope
Tie her arms together
And as she tried to wrestle free
Her arms were soon untethered

She pushed the sheet above her head
And saw her feet were swollen
Unfamiliar hands – their fingers – crammed
They’d aged – wrinkled – and moulded

She lay awake but could not see –
Her gaze had tripped – had stumbled
She moved her fingers – they would not bend
The ball she’d held – she’d fumbled

She lay awake and tried to speak
But all she could do was stutter –
The bird she saw the day before
Would not chirp or flutter

The sun had died – there was no sky
Her legs and arms were lifeless
She lay – (as she slept) – she cried – she wept
But tears – she was deprived of