I wear sunglasses at night
it's too early to go to sleep
my eyes are on fire
and there's nothing I can do.
I've learned frustration
only leads to defeat
and I won't feel bad
about something I have
no control over.
I sit on the bed
with the lights off
waiting for my eyes
to stop crying.
It takes a few minutes
but slowly they begin
to calm in the dark.
I know eye drops
make my eyes
freak out more,
rubbing them
isn't an option,
and light makes
them itchy.
It's an itch
I cannot scratch,
a fire that only
goes out with time.
I watch,
make do,
adjust,
stay calm,
breathe,
and remember this
isn't the first or last
time this will happen.
And this fire won't
burn forever.
I patiently wait
for it to pass.
Kelly Severseike 