Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE REMEDY, by DOUGLAS MALLOCH


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE REMEDY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Some folks can't sleep. 'insomnia'
Last Line: "I do believe I've been asleep!"
Subject(s): Insomnia; Sleeplessness


Some folks can't sleep. "Insomnia"
Is what they call it, I believe.
All night in bed they gee and haw
And roll around and fret and grieve.
They close their eyes, they count the sheep,
Try ev'ry cure that there can be,
But still they cannot go to sleep --
I'll give you all a remedy:

Some warm and sunny afternoon
When you don't need a coat or vest,
When you are lazy as a loon
And all you want to do is rest,
Just take that path beyond the stile
And climb up yonder on the hill
And listen for a little while
To that old saw in that old mill.

Just lie right down upon your back
And look straight up to where it's blue,
Or underneath a tamarack
The Summer breeze is soughing through --
Your mattress just the velvet grass,
As sweet as perfume, soft as fur,
Just lie and watch the clouds that pass
And listen to that sawmill purr.

And I will gamble, Mr. Man,
In spite of worries that annoy,
You will forget to scheme and plan,
Will slip right back and be a boy.
Your little troubles will be gone,
The bills to pay, the points of law,
And pretty soon you'll start to yawn,
Your lullaby the singing saw.

First thing you know you'll shut your eyes
And lie and listen to the hum;
Those ills will seem not half the size,
Those monthly bills not half the sum.
And then in, oh, an hour or so,
You'll sit bolt upright, feeling cheap,
And rub your head and say, "You know,
I do believe I've been asleep!"





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