The Jarring of Me

Even in my sleep
the muscles are dull-aching.
A throb here. A
twitch there. I am
thinning, thinning down, even
in my sleep. Even in my sleep I
am stripping, stripping away, then I
am dissolving.
I would never touch this dream
tonight.

And tomorrow, you would
see to it that I sleep on
a dreamless pillow.