L Milton Hankins Poet Terzanelle

Break of Day

It is always darkest before the light, they say
And for some of us that is most assuredly true
I almost never see the dawn at the break of day.

I am among those who sleep the dawn through
I sleep away the morning hours 'til nearly noon
And for some of us that is most assuredly true.

Some friends tell me seeing the sunrise is a boon
I treasure my deepest sleep during mid-morning
I sleep away the morning hours 'til nearly noon.

Please do not visit me before noon, I’m warning
For I will be half-asleep and scarcely conversant
I treasure my deepest sleep during mid-morning.

A lifelong practice, I would say it is permanent
Seeing that I am essentially brain dead so early
For I will be half-asleep and scarcely conversant.

Frankly, if awakened before noon, I can be surly
It is always darkest before the light, they say
Seeing that I am essentially brain dead so early
I almost never see the dawn at the break of day. 

Written April 22, 2022

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Caren Krutsinger April 25, 2022 at 9:20 PM This made me smile "I am essentially brain dead so early" L Milton Hankins April 26, 2022 at 7:27 AM Me, too.

Marco Chies April 22, 2022 at 1:34 PM Milton, apart from personal taste in timing, what delights me in this poem is the ability you have to make the coming and going of the same theme pleasant, to the point that the reader already expects the end of the stanza with the same previous sentence. That's great, congratulations. (I noticed that you have already used this resource in other texts and I can say that you have become a master in this type of phrasal arrangement). L Milton Hankins April 22, 2022 at 4:05 PM Thanks so much for your observations and your comment, Marco. I always appreciate your thoughtful remarks. It's always so good to hear from you.

Tom Cunningham April 22, 2022 at 12:20 PM When I was working I was up at 03.00 or 04.00 depending what shift I was on. But it screwed up my body clock and although I'm now retired I still wake up at that ungodly hour. Tom L Milton Hankins April 22, 2022 at 1:07 PM Oh wow, Tom. I used to be in my office by 8:00 pm. Declared when I was retired I would go back to my late sleeping habit. It has worked out well. I'm really a night person.

Ilene Bauer April 22, 2022 at 11:49 AM it's amazing to me how differently we are all programmed, milton. i am up and out to see the sunrise most days of the week and haven't slept past 6 a.m. for years, unless i am sick. your poem is wonderfully written... L Milton Hankins April 22, 2022 at 1:08 PM Thank you, Ilene. Sometimes I wish I could program myself to get up earlier. When I have to get up early, my whole day is shot!