Like a child, the earth’s going to sleep,

Or so the story goes.

 

But I’m not tired, it says.

And the mother says, You may not be tired but I’m tired-

 

You can see it in her face, everyone can.

So the snow has to fall, sleep has to come.

Because the mother’s sick to death of her life

And needs silence.

Lousie Glück, A Village Life (2009)

A Village Life is Louise Glück’s eleventh collection of poems.