to dream

One fitful night I fell asleep and dreamed a dream that seemed to be telling me something, only to be startled awake, I fell asleep again and found myself in the middle of a different and confusing dream, or so it seemed when I awoke. All I wanted to do was fall asleep again in the hopes of grasping on to some hidden meaning…

I recall a line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet… “A dream itself is but a shadow.” A shadow of what? A shadow of a memory, a shadow of something there but not seen… a shadow of something real or not real?

drifting… drifting… to sleep, perchance to dream
Once again
I find myself alone
with only a shadow
of my reflection
on the water
of the river of life

As the sun goes down
and the storm rages
in my head
I raise my paddle
and push myself
to stay the course

Eyes forward
trying not
to look back
I plead with the universe
don’t let the sun go down on me
Not now, not so far from the shore

It’s too late,
the darkness is upon me
It’s inescapable…
Except… for the shadow

I stir, I awake, I fall asleep

drifting… drifting… to sleep, perchance to dream
always searching never finding
not knowing which way to run
or hide
I hold my ground
see the positive in the negative
see the beauty all around

but there seems to be no way back

in the quiet are the voices
leading towards what used to be
desires becoming needs and a terrible hunger

I stir, I awake, I fall asleep

drifting… drifting… to sleep, perchance to dream
but all I find is hidden
hidden in this dream
I reach for the dream but only find – a shadow!

©2006 Julian… updated 2011

Photos: Don’t let the sun go down on me  ©2006, Hidden ©2006, Shadow ©2010, Julian Luckham all rights reserved, these photos should not be used in any way without my explicit permission.