Midnight Sun

It took me awhile to get on a jeepney tonight and with nothing much to do but look at my surroundings, I was mesmerized by the moon shining in all its glory that moment. I suddenly had the urge to take out my camera and take a quick snapshot of the scene as I saw out of the corner of my eye the vehicle that would take me home.

As I was unloading all the burden of the day by some quick late night web surfing, this photo reminded me of a poem I wrote back in college when all my nerves were on the edge because the heavy weight of school was about to come crashing down on me.

Midnight Sun

© 2010 Julie Ann Caringal

Shuffles of paper reached my ear

As if they have been magnified to the near thousand

The slightest sound shattered the silence

That engulfed my mere existence

I heaved my twentieth sigh

Since that morning of unpleasant beginnings

My eyes focused on nothingness

As my vision flickered away from reality

Regaining the slightest sanity I have

I blinked once, twice, thrice

And everything that was came rushing back

All too clear that I have many more miles to go

My hands moved as if they had minds of their own

No matter how gone my conscious mind seemed to be

Sleep was taking over my humane self

But something seemed to always push it away

Suddenly a loud creaking noise registered full force

Quickly snapping me to my awareness and defense

Beads of sweat formed in every pore

As I stood still as I ever could

Was the Hangman outside waiting for me?

Or has my imagination gone wilder than before?

My heart finally returned to a normal pace

As I realized my need to immediately retire

Moving all responsibilities aside in a clutter

I moved my eyes to glance at the window

Shadows were overcast by the faint glow of a bulb

Leaves that looked alive waved eerily by

The midnight sun was taking its toll

Radiating in all its mighty power

Its aura hypnotizing me like never before

Warning me that time is running out, however

Silence swallowed me - lulling me to slumber

Washing me with what was like fairy dust

Life sure isn't about books or notes or paper

And so I relaxed incautiously for the first time in hours

Slowly... slowly... the dark curtain covered my eyes

- and bade me a whisper of a simple goodnight.

We all deserve a break.