A Sulky Sleep

Poetry

A Sulky Sleep

Katie Frances Hartless

depression, dVerse, Mood, nature, quadrille

Grumpy skies,
cranky flat cloud
forms my pillow;
tucked to one side.
Thunder grumbles
as letdown lightning strikes.

Pitter-patter,
pins and needles,
my sullenness pours.
Gurgling gutter,
I’m pulled under
an ill-tempered tide.

My tension to keep
in a sulky sleep.

Sarah hosts today’s Quadrille at dVerse. Incorporate the word sleep into a 44-word poem.

60 responses to “A Sulky Sleep”

Tom

Grey weather makes a grey mood. Brilliant how you’ve pictured it here, K! ❤

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you, Tom.💜 We’ve had those moody storms the past few days, unpredictable agitators.
  
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writingwhatnots

Love this stormy slumber – I think the image of a ‘cranky flat cloud’ as a pillow is my favourite.

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you. With the full moon and thunderstorms; it’s a wonder anyone around here’s getting any sleep.
  
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2. sarahsouthwest
  
  I like the weather imagery here – it made me think of the heaviness of the time before a storm, the physical pressure. A pillow like a cloud is usually a good thing, but you flip that beautifully.
  
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merrildsmith

I love the description and metaphor. It made me feel a bit grumpy. 😀

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you. There are a lot of cranky folk around here from the recent storms.
  
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  1. merrildsmith
    
    You’re welcome. I don’t remember where you are, but bad storms can definitely make people cranky.
    
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  2. K.Hartless
    
    Yes. All quiet here today. I’m in the U.S. on the East coast, right now. Will set sail again next year, hopefully. 😉
    
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Ali Grimshaw

I love the rhythm and the word play in this.

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Many thanks, Ali. It’s fun crafting quadrilles and also enjoying everyone else’s brevity.
  
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jonicaggiano

Brilliantly done!! Lovely piece. 🦋

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you kindly, Joni. I’m hoping for more restful sleep this evening, now that the storms appear to be rolling away. 💜
  
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Carol Congalton

Brilliant! A sulky sleep indeed!

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you so much, Carol. 💜
  
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2. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you, Carol. Much less mopey sleep last night. I think this poem got it all out for me.
  
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Rob Kistner

Love that term — sulky sleep. Been there, done that, too damned often.

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1. K.Hartless
  
  I’d like to think I’m able to let things go before bed, as advised, but I admit it’s not so. Heavy bags sometimes follow me on my nightly hikes. Thanks for reading and commenting, Rob.
  
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yourplateormine967244485

Beautifully written, I’ll-tempered, loved how you used this word! I appreciate the structure too! 😊💜

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you so much. 💜 I need a less moody sleep this evening. Fingers crossed.
  
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  1. yourplateormine967244485
    
    🤞🏽😇 also, I meant to type “ill-tempered. Autocorrect! 😳
    
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Ron.

Fine work indeed. I esp like the gurgling gutter, one of which is sounding off just outside my window right now. Thanks.

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Parallel prisons, my friend. Thank you.
  
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Priti

Beautiful lines with excellent description of cloud and in that type of weather we get a sulky sleep well shared thanks 😊👍

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Many thanks, Priti. 💜I think the clouds around here may be lifting soon.
  
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  1. Priti
    
    You are welcome 🙂 I also think so.😊🥰 Stay happy 😘
    
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abigfatcanofworms

I know that mood. I love the pins and needles rain!

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you, Worms. Was caught (not unpleasantly) in a numbing rain this afternoon.
  
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Stacy MS

this reads so quickly…lovely poem!!

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Many thanks, Stacy. I appreciate your kind comments.
  
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paeansunplugged

So many noteworthy phrases….I love “letdown lightning” and “my sullenness pours”! And of course, the title! Brilliant writing and very relatable. 💙

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you for this kind praise. 💜And now I’ll have a much less sulky sleep this evening.
  
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  1. paeansunplugged
    
    You are welcome, K. Hope the sleep is silky.
    
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Jeff Flesch

I adore the connections you’ve made between mood and the rain clouds. During the winter, I have this arise for me at times. Lovely poem, K. 💜

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you kindly, Jeff. 💜Too many cloudy days in a row and I do feel sullen. Here’s to more sunshine ahead.
  
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  1. Jeff Flesch
    
    You’re welcome, K. 💜 I completely understand. More sunshine is welcome. 🌞
    
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Mister Bump UK

Never mind. It’ll all look better when you wake.

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1. K.Hartless
  
  True. The sun is shining today, so it has to look better, no?
  
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Shawna

Excellent writing.

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you, Shawna.
  
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rothpoetry

A beautiful poem! Love the images throughout, especially the ill-tempered tide.

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K.Hartless

Thanks, Dwight. Too many rainy days in a row and we’re all moping around here. I appreciate your kind comments.

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Gillena Cox

OMG. Your imagery just takes the grumpiness from level to level. Bravo!!!

Thanks for dropping by to read mine

Much💛love

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you so much, Gillena. Much love to you as well. 💜
  
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msjadeli

Skyfolk do have their moments, don’t they. I enjoyed the adjectives you used in this, K.

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you kindly, Lisa. I was finally able to showcase Teena Marie last week. I hope you saw it on Songshine. Thank you for letting me reshare that story.
  
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  1. msjadeli
    
    You’re welcome. No I didn’t see it but you are welcome.
    
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  2. K.Hartless
    
    😁💜
    
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Ingrid

I love the extended metaphor you’ve used here, K!

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you, Ingrid. Way less gloomy around here today.
  
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  1. Ingrid
    
    Glad to hear it!
    
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johnlmalone

a moody maelstrom of a poem: exquisite —

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ben Alexander

Wow, KK – talk about the writer and the weather being one! You merged them so seamlessly in this poem – fantastic

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Many thanks, David. 🦋
  
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Björn Rudberg (brudberg)

Love how you use the grey rainy weather as a metaphor of how hard sleep can be to capture.

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A Sulky Sleep – MobsterTiger

[…] A Sulky Sleep […]

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lblooom

I love to hear how weather makes different people feel. I know people who absolutely love thunderstorms and those who are upset by them, and then those who feel discouraged when they occur. Applies to pretty much any weather. Nice poem!

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you. Yes, the weather does seem to wave its magic wand and cast its spell on our days. I enjoy the rain, but over a long period of time, I definitely feel a gloominess set in. I appreciate you reading and commenting on this poem.
  
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purplepeninportland

Wonderful rhythm, with vivid language.!

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you. 💜
  
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