Guest Poem by Christopher Levenson

Christopher Levenson’s 14 poetry volumes span 7 decades of writing and publishing. His latest book, Moorings (Caitlin Press, 2023), caps accomplishments including the Governor General’s Award short-list in 2014 and the inaugural Eric Gregory Award, juried by T.S. Eliot in 1960. Levenson taught English and Creative Writing at Carleton University for 30 years and was Founding Editor at Arc Poetry Magazine. His poetry and poetry criticism has been published internationally. This poem is from Acumen 112. Photo credit: Oonagh Berry.

Insomnia

It’s a country I sometimes visit
but I wouldn’t want to live there.
Even at 3 or 4 a.m., the bathroom’s
stainless steel fixtures, white tiles,
hold their own, maintain
a careful sanity. The blatant light rejects
any transfusion of darkness.

By adjusting the mirrors on the cabinet
I see myself in triplicate,
a bureaucrat’s dream. Outside
the city is a listless desert of neon,
street lamps outstay their welcome.
I am free to go but cannot.