I'm lying awake at 2 AM, with a daunting restlessness in my legs,
Scolding me for sleeping, while the world is bustling, near and far.
I sleep while there are languages to learn,
And people I haven't tried to understand.
When will I touch the rocks in an ancient catacomb,
Trying to grasp what the people before me felt,
For a second, attempting to think like them?
There’s rain falling, and I’m not dancing in it.
There’s a paintbrush and a canvas,
Waiting for me to take them to Monet’s garden,
To paint beside the waters.
Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel,
Books sit in vacant libraries,
Cherry blossoms bloom in Japan.
How will I reach them?
There is old music I haven’t danced to,
Smiles I haven’t loved,
Tiny towns I haven’t heard of.
I’ve been to a beach but never danced in the sand.
My restless legs jitter to the beat of songs I haven’t played.
One day, I’ll plant an oak tree
And return each year to see its growth.
But for now, I am still.
One day, I’ll turn to the powerless,
Feed them, brush their hair,
Pick up their children, and pacify their babies.
But today, I am still.
My legs are restless,
Longing to have tea with every person that’s ever lived.
And maybe then, I will understand.
Maybe then, I can sleep.
Inspiration for Creative Film Project
Available on Youtube - @libbystassi
Google Drive: Restlessness
Youtube: Restlessness