Sleepless Gifts
Not Silent Til Death
Still nights, when insomnia and imagination coalesce, I find myself a captive audience to the
Intone. The white noise suffuses every inch, every corner, every pore. Sit in "silence" now. Go on, turn off your
Lights, televisions, music, or find a quiet space. What do you hear? Do you hear the
Entirety?
Nocturnal life: inanimate hums and creaks; the breath of earth waking flora; bestirred and amorous
Cicadas (this is their year!), desperately seeking a friend for the inevitable and swiftly approaching
End of their world. Not even manufactured rooms or naturally occurring caverns can mute the persistent drumming of the heart in your chest, the blood in your body, and the thoughts in your head.
About the Creator
kp
I am a non-binary, trans-masc writer. I work to dismantle internalized structures of oppression, such as the gender binary, class, and race. My writing is personal but anecdotally points to a larger political picture of systemic injustice.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Comments (12)
This is lovely and so connected to nature!
Another absolute masterwork. Your descriptions come to life, and pave a perfect path for deeper themes. You've got a new subscriber, kp!! :)
This is beautifully written. Congrats on the top story!
Congrats on the TS
That last line! And the cicadas too!
Beautiful writing!
I love silence and your poem has encapsulated that. Wonderful writing.
I love this, it was so descriptive. Made me smile!
Such gorgeous writing!
Amazing! Beautifully crafted (even if I do dislike Cicadas!)
This is beautifully and lyrically amazing. Congratulations on the Top Story.
Great job and entry!!