when i stir in the night, the world tilts on its axis
it is not a sight, but a feeling
a third eye opening
unveiling nothing but the dark
it is a strange, warped place here
beyond the throb of pulses and planes, of uneventful nightlife
oh, non-factor staten island
you’d think such an unimportant burrow
would find the time to sleep
but something
someone
is always awake, always lingering near
always rushing, never dragging, yet always
on the brink
of falling down
down, down
i want to stay curled up, asleep and away
thoughts and feelings tucked tight and close to my chest
but something often tends to pull me awake
a sound, perhaps
or a voice outside, or in my head
and my feet swing over with ease
always finding the carpeted floor
scratchy and soft beneath me
all places beyond it a threat
but the world is quiet here
from the precipice of this dim-lit attic
and the twilight breathes a sweet melody
outside my window, one of birds and
the rush of cars, of the pumped up people
still shouting, laughing—alive, below
even when all else
halts
alas, my heart sings a different song
a melancholy hum i can’t quite shake
too much of the time now
and the comfort of the night is not enough
to drain this dread from my soul
to fill my heart with something worth living for
something new
to save me
the people down below are effortlessly human
legs moving, striving forward, striving towards
walking, blaring music, cursing, sweating,
screaming, crying, connecting people
living without even trying
alight and alive, strong and loud and proud
yet i am a ghost within my own walls
and the wind beyond the windows
steers clear
and does not rattle my hollow bones
-
The moment I typed the word rushing, I had to use dragging too. Whiplash reference, if anyone knows what I’m talking about.
Thank you for reading! ♥️
About the Creator
angela hepworth
Hello! I’m Angela and I enjoy writing fiction, poetry, reviews, and more. I delve into the dark, the sad, the silly, the sexy, and the stupid. Come check me out!
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Comments (13)
catching up on some much missed and necessary reading...this is a favorite so far. your top stories are, of course, top notch, but all your writing captures an unique and organic rhythm that draws me in. always love to drop by and see what angela has been up to 😉 amazing things, i see 💙
"yet i am a ghost within my own walls"- oof that's good Angela. Nicely contrasted with the hustle and bustle below. I also liked how you isolated "halts" too. The Whiplash reference haha- can't hear rushing without dragging!
"alas, my heart sings a different song a melancholy hum i can’t quite shake" 💞💞💞 beautifully written
Another beautiful lovely piece always love reading your poems great job girl!! I made a new one I hope you like it ❤️❤️💞
Such rich detail swirled with really powerful emotional lines! Really wonderfully done, Angela!
Not sure if you've seen or read 'When Marnie Was There', but your poem really reminded me of the line: "In this world, there's an invisible magic circle. Everyone else is inside the circle, and I am outside the circle." (paraphrasing a little because my memory is garbage). You've captured the loneliness so well, how the world feels so separate from ourselves. Of course, I hope you aren't feeling like a ghost! You are integral to the world ♥️ Sorry, I haven't seen whiplash 😂😭 I am uncultured.
You encapsulated what I imagine to be the prison of loneliness....so very good!!!
For some reason this brought up the song “Out There” from Hunchback of Norte-Dame.
The only Whiplash I know is the song by Selena Gomez but I don't think that was what you were talking about 😅😅 Loved your poem!
This captures the strange, in-between feeling of late-night wakefulness so vividly.
Fabulous ♦️💙♦️
Intensely relatable and so very sad. I did realise the Whiplash you were speaking about, even though I've still not seen the film. Well done on another stirring and emotive piece, Angela!
This was hauntingly beautiful. Your imagery wraps around the loneliness like a weighted blanket—soft, yet impossible to ignore. That closing line will echo in me for a while. 🌫️🪟🖤