Restless

Got that midnight restlessness
Sleep don’t come easy
Too many reminders of yesterdays
Drifting in and out of my too busy mind
An old face beckons
Wants to tell me a story
I don’t stick around to hear the ending
Another voice whispers
Come with me
I’ll take you to kanaschak
Listen to the river speak
Wrap your arms around the one you dream of
That was so long ago
I’ve forgotten her scent
Did she carry woodsmoke and sage
Or the mustiness of the muskeg
Were these the three old scents that lit the fire
And raged for years
I turn to look to ask
She has drifted away
No chance to ask when the desire died
A song drifts across from agamik
Listening closely
I can’t place the voice
The song sounds familiar
“so lonesome I could cry”
I feel her head resting on my shoulder
I love this song she whispers
And she’s gone
Knowing she left long ago
I’ll just turn the stereo on
Maybe I’ll finally sleep
Find a place to dream
Try to find her again
So I can ask
Why did we let the fire burn out

DRM/November 2020/revised February/2021