“Pillowcase” by Michal Mitchell

Under my pillow do you know what I see?

A little old demon I used to carry on my sleeve,

During the day, he’s there, it’s not something I couldn’t just wear,

That’s because he runs when I try to grab,

To put him under, a source of light,

Outside?

He never goes,

Under darkness he just grows,

And I’d like to think that he’s not there, but when I try I become aware.

And I see him with my eyes, he does not hide,

There’s no disguise.

I bet you think,

I better blink, to get his face out of my screen,

But that won’t help, I’ve already seen,

What his mind can do to me,

So I’ll go I hope you mind,

So we can find some other time

To let him out, will you help me?

To tear this demon from my sleeve,

And to let him stop coming after me,

And tear me out of his mind, catastrophe,

Please?

Don’t, don’t even try,

In fact I changed my mind.

Let him be, let him stay,

I’ll keep him calm, calm enough, when he’s at bay.

But wait, stay with me?

It would be better if you see,

Freely,

Tell me, if he tries to be nice,

Or if I’d be better with a new life.

Because I can’t stand the fact to let him stay,

But I think I’m weaker to pull away.

So for now, I’ll wait, I’ll pray,

To someone out there that he’ll go away,

But until that day, where I strive to chase,

I guess I’ll just keep him in my pillowcase.

“10 Minute Poetry” is my own weekly poet’s game; one in which I write an original piece of poetry, with nothing but a given title, in ten minutes.