Phil Wood studied English Literature at Aberystwyth University. He has worked in statistics, shipping, and a biscuit factory. His writing can be found in various publications, including Autumn Sky Daily, Clementine Unbound, Fevers of the Mind, and The Wild Word.
Waking
Once we slept
spooning for oxytocin,
now I stay
under my duvet,
the windows frosted,
songbirds silenced.
I’ve missed
the shipping forecast,
I need my fix
of dopamine,
so I listen
to The Lark Ascending
and adverts
on Classic FM.
She has exited,
a dawn run
to get in shape
for me
and for a longer life.
But mainly
for the endorphins.
I worry about
her chemical imbalance,
her anxiety over
serotonin,
the happiness molecule,
and fall asleep.
I just love this poem! The word choice develops a quiet atmosphere of early morning “alone” time, that spot between waking and getting up. Clever use too of all those hormone-y words, so deftly woven in. I had one moment of anxiety myself when I read the line “She has exited” but then was relieved to know it wasn’t for good. She’s returning after her run. 🙂
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Thanks Kim. Lovely to read such a response.
All the best
Phil
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