This, Too - Edit3

[dukealien]

edit1;

This, Too



Last night I fell asleep
with the television on–
flat-screen wonders, songs, and wars
played without me just the same.
I rose, back a little stiff,
at first begrudging time not spent abed...
then smiled, acknowledging
this, too, was sleep.

I’ll rise from sleep another night–
while this world, its wars and rumors,
songs and getting churn along just fine
in my final absence.
Then I’ll glance down
(a little stiff, there)
and smile, discovering
this, too, is rest.

---

A feast of good critique, @Richard.  I've tried to shift and strengthen emphasis, though without actually reorganizing the order of thoughts in S2.  I believe it's improved, maybe not the final (g) edit.

I was playing on the dual meanings of "stiff" - creaking joints vs. rigor mortis, adjective vs. noun.  Hope this edit pushes the third meaning a bit further into the "honi soit..." region.

As to the title, if it came from anywhere it would be the common epigram, "This, too, shall pass away."  I read the Hughes poem you referenced, probably had seen it before somewhere... but it seems awfully dated, kind of Sixties when goodwill was still possible.  Now we know where it leads:  the "you owe me" figure sits down at the table, beats up the other guests, steals the silverware, and expects to be thanked for it.  "Sad," to coin a phrase.