Tag Archives: sleep

April 16, 2015

The Security Guard

	The Security Guard
541	Security guard stood afoot,
	but night was getting late.
	His lead eyes now were drooping low.
	He has to stay awake.
545	He shook his leg and walked around.
	His coffee poured and flowed.
	The bank depended on this man
	to guard its liquid dough.
	Of course if he just took a seat,
550	relaxed his weary bones…
	The benefits outweigh the risks,
	and no one’d have to know.
	So sitting down, his eyes fell shut.
	“What if I fall asleep?”
555	he pondered in his dopey state
	as sleep began to creep.
	“What if a robber comes this night,
	armed with a pistol gun?
	Then would I be awake to put
560	that robber on the run?
	Asleep, I won’t be vigilant.
	The thief would prance right in.
	He’d march up to our giant safe,
	then empty it and grin.
565	There’d be a noise, the lock would crack,
	within the riches shine.
	He’d fill his bag, then he’d be off
	to live a life refined.”
	The guard recoiled and then he thought:
570	“What if my eyes did close
	and into slumber I descend,
	a deep and happy doze?
	What if a crazy man then comes
	and threatens with a bomb?
575	He holds me hostage for the cash –
	his sanity long gone.
	He yells aloud, sets off alarms.
	Soon news crews do arrive,
	and pictures of me ‘round the world
580	show uniformed man cry.
	The bomber man has no demands,
	for all he wants is fame.
	He shouts out Boom! and spins his gun,
	prolongs his twisted game.
585	Policemen offer deals to him,
	but bomber won’t have that.
	He knows his life is forfeit now
	so counts down his attack.
	Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four…
590	My end is nearer now.
	Light flashes! Forceful heat explodes!”
	Guard wakes, and wipes his brow.
	“Okay,” he says, “I should not sleep.
	I’ve got to do my task
595	or awful things made in my dreams
	might truly come to pass.”
	But then a worse, more fearful thought
	began to overtake.
	Reflecting on his awful dreams:
600	“What if I were awake?”