The Man Who Never Slept Poem by susette varga

Al Herpin an insomniac who never slept
Known as the man who never dozed
Merely rested
Owned no bed
Only an old rocking chair
Stood in place of sleep
Related furniture

Upon this chair
He would sit
After a long hard
Day at work

Astonishingly astute
Al maintained
Acute awareness
And inquisitive mind

Rocking gently
Back and forth
He read his books
From dusk until dawn

Al it's said
Kept good health
Rarely ill
Seldom sick

Sleep deprivation
Had no effect
On him
Nor his health

No other insomniac
Has lived so long
Nor defied all logic
All scientific understanding
Of the need for sleep

Born in 1862
Al lived contentedly
To a ripe old age
92 years plus

Sleepless nights
Slowly dragging on
Long and lonely
Caused him no concern

I think it's plain
For all to see
Wisdom gained nocturnally
As moonbeams dance
In twilight hours

Create shadows
But illuminate
Fears and doubts

Albert Herpin
Innately knew
His sleep would come
when he closed his eyes
And shut his book

Peacefully he sleep's forever
Dozing in the stillness
Of his grave

Al Herpin the man
Who never slept
Insomnia you conquered
Because you knew
" We are a long time dead "
I salute you!