Hibernation, Briyanna Hymms

HIBERNATION 

Briyanna Hymms

This cave full of crags and crevices With that single bead from the brook Thawing, drip drip drop As slow as the snail goes Enunciating each little plop One of my eyes cracks open

I asked to be remade And undid all the buttons Of my long winter coat Shedding layers Of decaying leaves Years piled on years Of lying dormant, unseen All this time as if I were dead

It turns out I’d been sleeping Hoping that time would forget me If I closed my eyes for a moment And pretended it all away But the thaw’s come again With its drip drip dripping And I can’t hide any more

I peel myself out Finding I am lighter, almost floating

Anthology 7 238

Dreamlike wakefulness Awake around you Why was I asleep for so long

I can’t say I don’t miss it, the comforting Weight and the gravity I was sleeping in it for years after all Though I hope you understand When I say I’ll pick it up on my way out But I’ll leave it off with you

239 Mixed & Matched

Mallika Kodavatiganti