It was asked of me recently

[plural]

If I ever sleep?

the simple truth is rarely

A good night
brings maybe three hours

I am afraid of the dark
not when I am awake
but when I sleep
I have a terrible fear of the dark when I am sleeping

I sleep
from 6am to 8am
every day
and if my day goes easily
an hour or so in the afternoon

nightmares don't come during the day
only at night
that's why they call them nightmares

during the week
I make pathetic attempts at sleep
whether I am a sleep or not
I make myself lie in bed
often I lay, with a cat under each arm
running my fingers through their soft belly fur
and enjoying their company

if a nightmare is particularly bad
I will get up and get a drink
perhaps check my e-mail to distract me