Lyric Charm: A Poem

By the glow of the clock
when night has enclosed me
when sleep seems out of reach
when the hours squeeze tight,
anxious for morning light,
when rest won't come,
I play my favorite album,
silently in my mind,
mouthing every line
every lyric's rhyme
like an incantation,
a charm to keep me safe
from the thoughts that keep me awake