We don't want to get up in the morning, and we don't want to go to bed at night. We don't want to be born into the bright frightening world of noise and choices and danger and chance. We fight against it, we want to stay in the cushion-warm blood-rushing heartbeat-soft comfort womb. But when bedtime comes we manufacture one excuse after another. We don't want to miss out on life. We want a drink of water, there's a monster under the bed, we're just not sleepy tell me a story read me another story please I don't want to go to bed. We don't want to be born and we don't want to die. We had to leave the womb--actually we got kicked out if you want to know the truth of it--and every morning we have to leave the womb again and we don't ever get to like it. But once we're awake we're glad we're awake and we don't want to go to sleep ever again. Think of the things we might miss out on. Just think the world is going on right now and I'm in bed asleep what a waste of time. We struggle all our lives against the fall of night, but when we at last fall asleep for the last time we will be so content that we will never want to wake again. Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite. Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep if I should die before I wake I pray the Lord my soul to take God bless Mommie and God bless Daddy and God bless
David Lance Goines
February 20, 1997
On the sudden and unexpected death of my friend of thirty years, Bret Wade Buckman. ( 1955 - February 19, 1997)
Against the Fall of Night (1948) is the title of a science fiction book by Arthur C. Clarke (1917 - ) Children's bedtime chant: Good night, Sleep tight, Don't let the bedbugs bite. And if they do, Just take a shoe, And beat them 'til they're black and blue. - Traditional good-night sentiment.
"Now I lay me down to sleep," is from the New England Primer (T. Fleet, Boston, 1737) though ithe first record of it is found in the Enchiridion Leonis (AD 1160).
3/17/99
LAST ARTICLE | NEXT ARTICLE