A Stranger Dream (Poetry)

Let me relate a stranger dream
that came unbidden
wore a face
that followed — dogged
me every place
and called me love’s old name

I hid from him — or her — who knows
its origin
what caused its voice
to wheedle — worry
eyes grown moist
as though it worked some claim?

It found me out — discovered where
I’d poured all feeling
down a well
of weariness
my heart’s hotel
grief lapping wall to wall

I ran and ran as dreamers do
when fear unbuttons
thought by thought
each scream a smothered
protest caught
and reason past recall

Confusion reigned and guilt pursued
with ragged whispers
half a mind
away from madness
trailing blind
a shadow stabbed me though

with chill precision oddly calm
the monster smiling
turned and went
took sorrow with him
left content
my heart beat good as new

I woke (or maybe dreamed I did)
in some bright future
as a child
my genius
declared as wild
grew crazy as a tree

They hacked me down for being strange
lopped off limbs
life’s poems burned
imagination
all unlearned
I sailed a shoreless sea

Dawn found a face in grainy sky
shook off the dream
but kept love’s name
along my spine
his words remain
tap out their mystery