Cocoon

Butterfly Exhibit at St Mark's Wildlife Refuge, U of FL, Gainesville

A place and time, affording me the special luxury of basking a while longer

In the warmth and safety surrounding me in my nest, my cocoon.

The place is my bed near the window overlooking the lake,
Wrapped up in my comforter, my head buried in my pillow;
The time is this privileged moment in the morning
When the first signs of consciousness crack through the barrier of sleep
Like the first rays of the sun seep through the night’s darkness.

This unique place and time, when the outside world
Maintains its respectful distance from my inner one,
Before inexorably crashing back in uninvited,
Dragging along the torment of yesterday’s wounds
And the onslaught of today’s demands.

This is the time to revel in keeping at bay those worries or sadness,
When the total stillness of the body, left over from the night’s sleep,
Blessedly spills over and into the mind and heart,
Enabling them to bask quietly in the soothing cocoon.

This is the place meant for simply staring, digesting, and absorbing;
For reflecting, intuiting, wondering, questioning, and debating;
For the nurturing and accepting of self;
For absorbing, mulling over, doubting, mourning and rejoicing;
For listening to my inner voice which often brings resolution;

Most of all, this is the best time for creativity to spring to life,
With the invigorating energy springing from the subconscious travails of sleep.
That’s when ideas seem to tumble out spontaneously,
Competing with each other for first place, progressively or all at once,
Falling into the right combination for the perfect ending of this poem,
Or just the right title for this new essay.

My body’s inner engine is still totally in neutral,
Allowing me to soak every sound and sight like a sponge.
But my creative mind is now totally awake, and remains so
While creative fireworks are popping right left and center,
Until getting up is required to act on those demanding impulses.

Only then am I willing to leave my cocoon to switch to first gear,
Finally ready to face all this new day will bring of surprises,
Opportunities, disappointment, challenges or adventure.