the deepening ground

Wrestling Insipidity: Between Inspiration and Fatigue

By Vincent H. Anastasi 2024

This perpetual exhaustion tires me to no end,
and in those quiescent moments
when I bolt the door on duty,
I await the belated muse —
but my lamp’s expired and, once again,
I have missed the long-expected groom.

I assume when each demanding “to do” is done,
primed to write, I’ll unpack my stress-stuffed soul
to find the treasures packed within this chest.
Then, more awake, I will not need to strike
my stone heart so that water might flow,
nor solve riddles to escape this cell.

For a secret garden still remains to be found,
the key tucked away within some neglected drawer.
But sleep descends soft and slow
and my thoughts forsake the quest
to seek their separate beds,
leaving me no trace nor promised rest.