Sleepless Nights in the Tropics

By Evrard Klein

PROMPT—No one noticed ...

The water laps its song against the shore,

playing haphazardly an improbable score.

Bats and mosquitoes share the sultry sky

where clouds of eagles circled round of yore.

The old fan hums in a bass voice, shaping melodies

under its dusty breath.

A mockingbird trills, a crane wades

across the darkness, piercing the night’s rustling air.

These tropical swamps are a sound box

where my mind can stash

its torments, its joys,

and the flavor of our long-gone nights.

Tomorrow, as a joke,

I’ll tell a flowery version of this sleepless night;

a pretty tale, with no mosquitoes; a tale that will conceal

the tears I shed to the sound of the night.

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Evrard Klein lives in Paris, where he writes in English and French. A historian, he enjoys exploring all literary traditions and has been working on several projects, including a novel, poems, and flash fictions. History and art are a strong influence and often weave their way into his writings. He is a member of Paris Lit Up, a haven for English-language writers in Paris. One of his pieces was recently selected for publication and he’s excited to share more soon.