Safecracker

When I was a boy,
I thought falling asleep
was down to combinations.

1: Fluff the pillow.
2: Put hands beneath it.
3: Lie on my right.
4: Draw knees up.
5: Close eyes.

And if that didn’t work,
I would try a different order

1: Lie on my left.
2: Fluff the pillow.
3: Stretch out legs.
4: Close eyes.
5: Put hands beneath pillow. 

Try every combination.
Like the safecracker.

And the next night,
I wouldn’t remember
which combination had led to sleep,
and so, I had to start

all over again.

Lee Wright’s @wright80lee short stories have been published by Fairlight Books, The Newmag Magazine and The Black Country Arts Foundry. His poetry has been published by The New Luciad, Peeking Cat Poetry and Burning House Press. A collection of non-fiction articles has been published by Headstuff.org and the University of Leicester’s Everybody’s Reviewing website. He is currently taking an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Leicester.