do you lie awake

listening to the night sounds

to the mating calls of lonely crickets

raccoons in rubbish

wind howling through shrubs

past brick and mortar

muffled against the exterior of insulated cocoons

creaking apartments

echoing with the noise of running toilets

beeping malfunctioning smoke detectors

groaning beds beneath the weight of undulating bodies in the throes of passion

or maybe

you’ve blocked it all out

deafened by the volume of thoughts

thoughts which crawl

from the hiding places deep within the subconscious

untidily stored away in haste

to better manage the pressing issues of the day

returning in exhaustion

caressing

their disturbing manner

licking at earlobes

running chilled fingertips across your back

gleefully giggling

stifling pleasure as they coerce you to converse

do you attempt to drown them out

with music pills or alcohol

tranquilize them with self medicating cocktails

anesthetize the looming lurker

subdue them

as the noise steadily dies down

drowned out for a time

growing more

and more

silent