On Staying Woke

Rumi implores me, "Don't go back to sleep."
But I'm so tired now
After these long years
clawing my way to consciousness

I didn't know what would happen when i
took the red pill
ate the apple
opened my eyes

The world is full of mess
and now I know it
I can't turn around without facing
another reason to despair

Is it better to have a free mind in a cold world--
or to remain asleep, blissfully ignorant
to my own oppression?

But there was always a world
outside the garden
Always those
kept from freedom and from sleep
Now I know
something of their suffering
and something of my own

I am awake
Oh, but I'm tired

I want so much to let my eyes drift closed again
But I can see now
the corruption of the soul of God
wrought in every moment of slumber

I won't go back to sleep
Instead, I'll wake you up
And you'll hate me for
luring you into my exile

We'll mark the hours together, then
And instead of despairing and wishing for sleep
we will work toward a world
we rejoice in staying awake for

May it be so

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