Awake at night
I have always suffered from insomnia since very young. Most of the time it does not bother me as I use the time to create, write or meditate. I like the energy of the night. Sometimes it disturbs me when I have anxiety or worries, in this case I cannot wait for the day to break. The poem below was written at night, and the oil painting I did a few years later to express the longing for dawn to arise.
Awake at night
The red chrysanthemum on my window,
A souvenir from you.
Wherever I move there’s your shadow,
And your energy too.
Will you be there for me
In two months time?
In the park, amongst the trees,
Will I hear the chimes?
Dawn breaking, welcoming you,
Ducks and starlings, awaiting you,
The grass hiding jewels for you,
The sun shining all over you.
Will you be there for me
In two months time?
Will I hear you calling me,
Awake at night?
‘Waiting for dawn’ - Oil on canvas. 70 x 60 cm - Image copyright Marianne Simonin
In this room the shadow symbolises the night and the period of insomnia, where the morning light that begins to filter through the curtains becomes a symbol of hope and the end of a bad dream or nocturnal rumination.
#bedroom #waiting #interiors #chiaroscuro #shadows #light #darkness #insomnia #paintings #oilpaintingsoncanvas #art #Londonartist #twilight #curtains #dawn #poetry