Note: Really glad to end the year by bringing William Bolyard on to the Savage Wonder literary blog. He spent over 10 years as a US Army infantryman and is the author of Sober Man’s Thoughts. You can follow him on IG here. Listen to our Savage Wonder podcast episode with him here.
The voice in my head won’t let me sleep.
He keeps going on about jazz
Talking to girls at the bar
Reaching over to grab a drink
Scat scat scat
His voice rattles off faster than I can keep up
I can’t get a word out so I keep thinking of lines
Scribbling shit down
Yet he is getting louder and louder
“Why won’t you let me sleep”
Is it to keep up with some consistent beat
I don’t know
Yet I can hear the snow against the glass
The faces make shadows against the white powder
Reaching out as the band plays on
I shout “no no don’t come in”
Yet the door flies open
And the bartender lets them in
Lights go out
Music stops
I hear claws on the bar top
It pulls me out
Who was that voice that wouldn’t let me sleep.
William Bolyard spent over 10 years as a US Army infantryman. He is the author of Sober Man’s Thoughts. You can follow him on IG here. Listen to our Savage Wonder podcast episode with him here.
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