Life’s losses accumulate,
and greet me each time I wake.
They long to infest my soul,
affix themselves, and turn malignant.
Each day is started on the emotional battle line,
In the war for my fragile emotional state.
I lie in my bed, eyes closed
Silence without me,
Battle cries and gnashing of teeth, within me.
My losses are many,
And I am surrounded.
I evade, jump, duck, crawl.
I strangle, pummel, dismember
Until they retreat into the abyss
But I know that they simply hide and wait.
They wait for my guard to drop,
They wait for me to sleep,
They wait for the day I am too slow,
They wait for the day they are too many,
If they break my defenses,
They will consume me,
It will be the end of me.
I close my eyes, sleep will come.
My faith cradles me,
My secret weapon.
My last prayer of the day
Is for strength for the battle
I will have in the morning,
Before my eyes have opened,
or my body has stirred.
Goodnight.
