night’s where fears abide
i listen for life’s signal
that i’m not alone
copyright cwmartin 2011
jagged edges
of expectation
line the shores
of reason
when
you stare
at me
i am
a predefined
vista
one constructed
from old news reels
adventure photos
and
television commercials
capturing none of
who
or
what
i am
you
see a predator
a bird of prey
to be glorified
or hated
depending upon
which child’s fantasy
you can recall
or
which nightmare
brought a cold sweat
before dawn
but
i say to you
you do not
see
me
nor
do you see
yourself
while dreaming last night
i found myself swimming by the sea
in the warm waters of expectations
when the red ball appeared
so i pursued it
as i did in my youth
finding my body transformed
into a golden koi
struggling against the current
i saw the ball within my reach
but it dove beneath the waves
and i with no thought of tomorrow
followed it like a man possessed
lusting after its power
so willingly forfeiting my soul
in pursuit of this prize
but without warning
the sea became black
the blackness filled my lungs
each breath pierced them
like a razor’s edge
cutting deeper
and deeper
until i was the blackness
floating as a unified corpse
with others in the blackness
trapped in the tidal flow
consuming all in our path
bringing them into the darkness
grasping all that lived
and as we reached the shore
i awoke in a cold sweat
tears streaming down my face
for i knew the nightmare
had just
begun
Read Between the Minds 