intermission

Curious, how the edge of sleep

Seems to steal up -

Only when one is not expecting it.

That is, unless exhaustion is weighing heavy on the eyelids —

Rocks in pockets 

spine curving shoulders sagging.

Then leaden sleep is an uninvited houseguest

with poor timing.

Curtains close on the day, a brief intermission prior to the next act. 

A chance for the actors to change their costumes,

to exhale breath

and powder their noses. 

A chance for the scenery to change, 

the lighting to reset

the orchestra to queue up a new score and re-tune.