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