The Boy Is Deep Asleep

there he lies in cool African shade ear-cuffed with strings of music feeling lost in the world around caring less about everything else a wood-pecker stands on his back pecks neck, mouth, vertebral column whatever is happening is irrelevant because the boy is deep asleep a snake crawls and culls by his side then puts its head near his mouth but he cares not about the danger because the boy is deep asleep wind blows dust and trash all over white smart shirt carries all filth but he cares not about events around because the boy is deep asleep thunder and lightning slashes the sky everything on earth’s surface shelters and he wakes up wet, dirty and late tears roll down his cheek wide awake his wailing echoes the wilderness ear-cuff is throw away in flight but it is too late, too late to survive but sleep is not there to rescue him and a sparrow laughed at him singing; “Go back, sleep, wise boy sleep all sleep.”