Night Terrors

You’re exhausted and need to sleep
So you lie down in bed
With your eyes fixed on the ceiling
You try to clear your head

Of all negative emotions -
Each trauma, each assault
Attempting to quell the flashbacks
That came as a result 

Your sleep is plagued by night terrors
You kick and scream and sweat
Unsure of what was just a dream
And what’s an active threat

You try to rewrite the story
But memories remind 
And you keep falling victim to
The monsters in your mind

Your traumas replay like movies
Each viewing takes a toll
So you refuse to close your eyes
And let him take control

Reality begins to blur
With each sleepless night
It’s easier to stay awake
Than close your eyes and fight

You’re wasting so much energy
And losing too much sleep
But you can’t block out your traumas
By simply counting sheep 

You can’t fall asleep in darkness
Too many shadows lurk
You try to nap in daylight but
It doesn’t always work

You start sleeping with a light on
To feel safe in your bed
Yet fear nothing will save you from
The monsters in your head

Written July 2020