The Sandman (2006) Poem by Adrianne Quinlan

The sandman had other things in mind
When he laid our beds at dusk.
Birds and bees abide by it.
Swear by it,
And close their eyes in unison.

But we work the sweet smelling gardens,
And for our employers,
Provide beauty and sustenance,
Leaving each day with toothy grins and
Freely swinging brown arms.

In their opulence,
Rose trees and berry plants prick
As we strive to pick of their fruits
That temp us, colorfully sweet.

Tiny dew-topped jewels glittering
In the early morn set us up,
Forcing us to beat the sandman into dust
When at dusk we fail to close our eyes.

Little do we know
That such delicate jobs as ours
Cannot be done
Under the cover of darkness,
For rose bushes and berry bushes,
With their brave thorns,
Fiercely protect their kind,
Leaving us wounded and bloodied.
Yet, each night we try.
And we spend the best of our lives
Seeking out the sandman in the desert sea.

We cry out for thirst.
And though dry-mouthed
We secretly sputter onto the sand
Hoping to mold him back to form.
But strong winds scatter him to the far reaches
Leaving us with just sand
And very little man.