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Mortimer Greep can’t fall asleep, though he tries with all his might.
He’s up and down, he tosses around each and every night.
His mind runs laps, disrupts his naps, and plays games with his sight.
See Mortimer creep, see Mortimer yawn, see Mortimer’s tragic plight.
Roughly a week ago he stayed up way too long,
To watch his favorite show when a news break came on.
They said the world was bad and everything was going wrong,
So the gears of sleep became a tangled heap as Mortimer Greep’s fears grew strong.
Augustus Slew, his closest friend, observed this with concern.
He watched Mort shrink, he watched him cower, and watched him take a nasty turn.
His friend needed saving, so Gus' mind began to churn.
See, Augustus knew it was time for a plan to help his friend return.
“Say, Mortimer,” Augustus said, “tell me what’s on your mind.
I hate to see you sad like this, it’s clear you’re in a bind.
I miss my friend, let’s work together to get you untwined.
What’s it all about? I will help you out if you are so inclined.”
“I’m sorry, Gus, my brain keeps spinning without a break.
The world is such a mess and I don’t know what steps to take.
Now, even when I try to sleep, my fears all stay awake.
Can you help me, please, find a way to ease my mind for goodness sake?”
Augustus laughed, gave Mort a hug, and told him, “It’ll be okay.
Some folks get scared and panic, and they want you to be that way.
But you don’t have to accept their words and join in their dismay.
There’s hope to be found if you look around and put their fears away.”
So Mortimer Greep picked up his head and started to really see,
That everything he loved was still the way it ought to be.
He smiled and laughed and thanked his friend for bringing such clarity,
Then he tuned out the fright as he turned out the light and slumbered peacefully.
Mortimer Greep and the Gears of Sleep is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental or are made with the utmost respect.
2022 Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC Digital Substack Edition.
All rights reserved.
Cover design by Winston Malone courtesy of Adobe Stock and Adobe Creative Cloud Express.
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I love Mortimer Greep! I'll be rhyming this in my head all day now. Great work, Tom.
Thank you very much. I greatly appreciate 'Gus's insight.