Updated date:

Mar 10, 2020

Every Night

Author:: Anya Ali

Thank you for stopping by! I teach drama, run a drama club, and write because I must.

A few days ago, I dreamed I had died. That experience inspired this little poem.

Every Night

Every night,

I lock the door, look

Under the table

And around the bed,

Turn one light off,

Wave the other on,

Check the shadows,

Get into bed,

And shut my eyes

Before darkness falls.

Then I remember

The top of my shelf.

What if something

Is squatting there,

Staring down

With wicked intent?

Turn the light on,

Look up, look down,

Under the table

And around the bed.

Every night,

Death watches me

Looking for lurkers,

On top of the shelf,

Under the table

And around the bed.

He laughs as I turn in,

Turn on my side,

Look straight at him,

And shut my eyes.

Comments

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on May 18, 2020:

@Bill: Thank you!

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on May 18, 2020:

Who knows what lurks in the deep recesses of one's room...or mind, eh? Loved this. Well done, my friend.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on April 30, 2020:

@Brenda: Thank you!

BRENDA ARLEDGE from Washington Court House on April 30, 2020:

I shared this one.

https://www.facebook.com/101958054719811/posts/142...

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 31, 2020:

@Manatita: Thank you very much! Yes, I suppose Death is my friend.

manatita44 from london on March 31, 2020:

Sweet, charming, funny. You are friends? Haha.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 26, 2020:

@Ruby: Thank you very much!

Ruby Jean Richert from Southern Illinois on March 26, 2020:

I can relate. It seems that darkness makes one super alert, and our hearing excels. Thanks for the follow. Happy to follow you.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 16, 2020:

@MG Singh: Thank you so much!

MG Singh emge from Singapore on March 16, 2020:

There appears an inherent sadness in the poem. ìts touching and wonderful.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 11, 2020:

@Rajan Singh: Thank you very much.

Rajan Singh Jolly from From Mumbai, presently in Jalandhar, INDIA. on March 11, 2020:

How true. Powerful poem.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 06, 2020:

@MG Singh: Thank you!

MG Singh emge from Singapore on March 06, 2020:

Nice poem.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 05, 2020:

@Ruth: Thank you!

Kathryn Collins from UK on March 05, 2020:

I could see myself doing what your poem said. I enjoyed reading it.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 04, 2020:

@Brenda: Thank you! I've been told that while we sleep we constantly dream. However, we remember only snatches of those dreams when we wake.

BRENDA ARLEDGE from Washington Court House on March 04, 2020:

You have definitely made this one seem real.

I remember doing such things...hearing the slightest noise and getting out of bed searching the complete house.

I don't do that anymore. I don't think its death...but only fear. Fear of the unknown.

I mean hey...what really does happen when we close our eyes to sleep.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 04, 2020:

@MitaraN: Thank you so much!

Mitara N from South Africa on March 04, 2020:

A good poem to remind us of our mortality

Thanks for sharing

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 03, 2020:

@Lora: Thank you!

Lora Hollings on March 03, 2020:

I loved your poem, Bushra. Its message seems to be saying that death is always around the corner so to speak and there is nothing we can do about that. And yet people get so caught up with worrying about someone breaking in. A profound poem that is very well written! Excellent job.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 03, 2020:

@Margaret: Thank you!

Margaret Pan from Athens on March 03, 2020:

Excellent choice of words!

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 03, 2020:

@DreamerMeg: Thank you for commenting!

DreamerMeg from Northern Ireland on March 03, 2020:

Yes, we never know when death will arrive, no matter how hard we look for him. I love DEATH in the Terry Pratchett novels, he is a real character and some of the deaths he is involved with are just the way you would like to go.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 02, 2020:

@Janis: Thank you!

Janis Leslie Evans from Washington, DC on March 02, 2020:

You made paranoia and rumination sound beautiful. Great job giving life to fear.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 02, 2020:

@Chris: Thank you!

Chris Mills from Traverse City, MI on March 02, 2020:

What else could you do but to finally shut your eyes? Great job on this poem. I enjoyed it.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 02, 2020:

@Devika: Thank you!

Devika Primić from Dubrovnik, Croatia on March 02, 2020:

Good writing!

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 01, 2020:

@Pamela: True. Thank you for commenting!

Pamela Oglesby from Sunny Florida on March 01, 2020:

I think death is always a possibility and I guess the best thing we can do is pray before we go to bed to find some peace. I think we need to live each day as if it is our last then we relax and sleep peacefully.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 01, 2020:

@Peggy: So true! To translate an Urdu poet, 'This life is the path of death, some are in the dust, some on it.'

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on March 01, 2020:

Death is ever-present, and there is no getting around that truth. We should live each day as if it was our last, and we would all be better for it.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on March 01, 2020:

@Mark: Thank you!

Mark Tulin from Ventura, California on March 01, 2020:

So true, death is always lurking and watching us. Good poem, Bushra.

Anya Ali (author) from Rabwah, Pakistan on February 29, 2020:

@Thank you, Lorna and Kyler!

Lorna Lamon on February 29, 2020:

I love the story you have weaved around your dream Bushra. Entertaining and cleverly written.