Sleep is for wimps

“Who needs sleep? Well, you’re never gonna get it. Who needs sleep? Tell me what that’s for. Who needs sleep? Well, you’re never gonna get it. There’s a guy been awake since the Second World War.”

I sing to myself throughout the night.
“Sleep’s for wimps,” I tell myself  when those song words dry up and fail to give answers.

I haven’t written anything for ages. Words buzz in my mouth like wasps but refuse to come out. My head is a jumble of unsaids.

If you read about writer’s block it tells you to just write. Write anything. Apparently it doesn’t matter. I could write about elephants called Bill but Bill is boring and I’m frankly sick of owning an elephant now: elephants stink. Elephants,apparently, need very little sleep (about 2 hours a night and often go 2 days without sleeping)

So, I’ll write about insomnia songs.
Barenaked Ladies knew a thing or two about not sleeping. It has been my go-to song for a while but it might be time for a change. “There’s so much joy in life. So many pleasures to be found but the pleasure of insomnia is one I’ve rarely found.”

Insomnia by Faithless says, “Deep in the bosom of the gentle night. I search for the light. Pick up my pen and start to write.”
This is normally good advice but wasps and elephants.

The Eels say, “I need some sleep. Can’t go on like this. Tried counting sheep but there’s always one I miss.” I’ve tried counting sheep too but you are meant to imagine them jumping fences and mine won’t jump. They are just too fat or tired to bother.

Irving Berlin, who knew how to write a good tune suggests, “When you’re worried and you can’t sleep count your blessings instead of sheep.” This is good advice and works for going to sleep but has no effect on staying asleep.

Bobby Lewis knew how it felt. He was tossin' and turnin' all night long but those were different times. He sang, “The clock downstairs was striking four. Couldn’t get you off my mind. I heard the milkman at the door.” Oh, for the comforting sound of clanking milk bottles on the doorstep. Maybe I should get a milkman.

There is something about this 3 or 4 am time. Chicago wrote, “Feeling like I ought to sleep. Spinning room is sinking deep. Searching for something to say. Waiting for the break of day 25 or 6 to 4.”

These songs are great. It helps to know that you are not alone. Even Megadeath’s Insomnia helps because I can tell myself that at least it’s not that bad. “I’m running in quicksand. The guilty past I’ve burried. Something’s haunting me. The guilty past I’ve burried.”

If you see me today I could just be humming one of these tunes or quote The Beatles “I’m so tired I haven’t slept a wink. I’m so tired my mind is on the blink.”