Sheepless Nights

It was another one of those long nights and my insomnia was getting the better of me. The flashing lights of the alarm clock on the desk did nothing for me. It was getting difficult to take my eyes off of them. I was slowly being drawn into their rhythmic call. Madness beckoned! Intervention came in the form of a strategically placed pillow that blocked out the red glow of insanity. It still did not solve my primary problem though. I was completely awake and aware of the fact that sunrise and another depressing summer day were only a couple of hours away. I had to get some sleep if I was to stay awake in class. I decided to give the sheep-counting business a try. And why not? I'd already tried everything else short of prescription drugs. Here is how that went.

So I close my eyes,
For the task at hand.
This fool proof method,
Involving farmland.

I clear my mind
And fill it with,
A land so green
It felt like a myth.

The sheep they came
All cuddly and white,
Toward the fence
Stretched in-finite.

One glance across
And they all agreed;
The grass over there
Was much greener indeed.

The pioneer was across
In one giant leap
And was soon followed
By the rest of the sheep.

I counted one and two
And three and four
And five and six
And many many more

The going was good
Until the folks
Of New Sheepland
Felt they had enough blokes.

You see, times were hard
And jobs were a-few.
So they put a stop
To immigrants new.

But the good citizens
Of the West Country,
Felt they were wronged
So damn out rightly.

Thus began
The coldest of wars,
Even though both sides
Knew 'twas a farce.

And before you knew it
Someone stepped on a twig
And that’s all that was needed
To launch the first brig.

Battle plans were made
And big guns were drawn;
These crazy sheep
Were no brains and all brawn.

Soon my dreamland
Lost all of its green;
In ruins and smoke
It lay so obscene...

So, once again, my runaway mind has brought about yet another failed attempt at blissful sleep. The sun’s first rays are already lighting up the night sky. I reach out and hit the snooze button before the inevitable cacophony that is my morning alarm, goes off. I hate having to spend another day in class just struggling to stay awake. Damn sheep!

Tomorrow I count kittens!!