living on the edge

i used

to sleep with one eye open,

leg half

off the bed,

living on the edge,

ready to run if necessary.

tense

and lost in bad

dreams,

i could never quite

get to sleep

with her beside me,

and then,

at last

she was gone, and now

i'm deep in slumber,

all over

the wide

open spaces,

spreading my legs

and arms.