Tough Love

she tossed and turned she was missing something but what? the night was long already and the clock didn’t tell how long before morning she tossed and turned in limbo for twenty-seven she’d be damned if she went one extra without an account to give her kinsmen she tossed and turned over dreams long gone bad she’d found strange comfort with sorrow this could easily be her tomb unless awakened she tossed and turned a pinch might do some good when she cried in her sleep salvation lay in the gracious slap of a friend’s water and whip she neither tossed nor turned her eyes knew better than to close the hands of a friend weren’t always gentle but this last piece of hell was beaten out of her or was it?