Stream Towards Unconsciousness – A “Stream of Consciousness” Poem

I am tired yet I can’t sleep

Thoughts of all the things I should have done today

That I didn’t

Thoughts of being in bed with you

yet writing and writing

the writing is getting in the way

but I have to get down these thoughts

still so many have escaped

I can’t write while I am driving

I can’t write while I am parenting

I can think of what to write but if I can’t get to the computer

if I can’t get to the pen and paper

The thought runs away

Probably the one that would have gone in that lit mag

in that e-mag

the one to win that accolade

It’s so fleeting the good words and phrases that come

In and out

I need to catch them

I need to hold them

I need to write them

I need to sleep

I need to pay attention to the children

and to you

and the laundry

Ugh I hate the laundry

and the dishes

I’m supposed to do these chores out of love for my family

But I don’t love the chores

It doesn’t mean I don’t love my family

I can show them love in other ways

by ignoring them so I can write words of love

To them for them of them

Or cooking

I love to cook

or snuggling

I love to snuggle

Or sleeping

Choosing writing over sleeping over you

But the deadline is tomorrow

There is no deadline for chores

or family or lovers

Or is there…

Challenged by Jamie Dedes at The Poet by Day, this stream of consciousness poem is the first I have ever written. I must admit it was a difficult write for me! I guess I usually edit my thoughts long before it reaches the paper – thinking about the words, phrases, rhythm before I even begin to type with my thumbs. Maybe because I do so much of my writing in little bits during the day on my phone, that I am loathe to edit once it’s already down. Can I blame technology for my writing style?

I wrote this piece around 2 am with a sick child who had kept me awake. I couldn’t go back to sleep since I was thinking about this prompt. I had tried a few other times to write something but kept getting interrupted or writing something that I knew wasn’t exactly stream of consciousness since I had already thought about what to write (I don’t cheat on these prompts!). It took an overtired brain to get to this un-filtered point! If I hadn’t fallen asleep, I wonder where else it might have led or if my words would have continued to perseverate….

©️ iido 2018