The days I survive
It's the nights I dread
When faced with the emptiness
of our bed
 
The day I spend madly
running to and fro
coming home only once I've
exhausted every other place to go
 
Under the guise of being busy
Under the prayer, I'll quickly sleep
 
Stretched out in a space
unnaturally wide
I can't enjoy it
you're not by my side
 
You're out on the road
and not just for a small while
I'm faced with the reality
of not seeing your smile

For each eternity I lay awake
gets closer to the tears I'll shed

Yes, while your voice on the phone
makes the moment feel alright
once we hang up, it's just me
Just the emptiness, just the night
 
The days I survive
It's the nights I dread
When faced with the emptiness
of our bed

National Poetry Month for 2021 Day 7 finds me pondering the lamentations of a long-distance truck driver’s spouse in free verse.