He Cannot Sleep

He cannot sleep

with eyes wide open

he does not see enough light

through this blinding darkness

he feels the recession thundering

like an enormous quake

on a Richter scale

with unfathomable

logarithmic upheaval

as joblessness

cries out for mercy

rising like a tsunami

in tumultuous waves

wallowing in our hopes

for a better tomorrow

often times

job openings make mockery

of our social fabric

lashing away with emptiness

or nibbling away

at our broken dreams

like piranhas

only leaving our bones

for the breakfast table

with our eyes wide open

he cannot sleep

we cannot sleep

sleep.

poem by Leonard Dabydeen
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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