a very free form poem inspired by a dream. one of the ones i am more comfortable sharing. it takes some thought to understand all the meanings.

THE DREAM BIRD

At first unseen,
Hiding in a shroud of comfort
Comfort replaced by the absence of innocence
A black feather floats down in front of me,
I follow its weightlessness down to steps of fire.
A starless night it leads to…
Squawk…
I turn to face a bird of nightmare.
Feathers black, feathers full of sludge
I fall, scared, squirming to no avail.
Squirming like a worm and the bird picks me up as such
I see not its mass, I feel not its talons
I fly up the steps of flame willingly.
Towards darkness for now it draws me in.
I remember the darkness is something misunderstood
I throw out human instinct
Happiness is found in my being as the bird comes back
I reach out and touch it… it dies
It wrinkles up like a raisin in my arms
Squawk…
I turn to face a bird of brilliance
Colors of sorts I cannot describe
It smiled and reminded me of a loving women
The colors glowed and lit up a burning world
Trees on fire, houses burning, skeletons staring up at me.
Horror you think I would feel but no…
The bird tells me to care not for the lost ones
The bird’s light shows one thing that hasn’t been destroyed
I enter a tepee; inside the bird is waiting for me
It calls to me till I reach out and touch it…
It dies. Into flame it bursts and a great feeling of upset-ness over whelms me.
Squawk…
Things grow white and the sound of water and wind reaches my ears
A white bird of new beginning flies toward a young sun
I get the feeling my time in this place is not done yet,
Yet I soon awaken in my bed.
My cat is at my side like usual, and the alarm at the side of my bed
Sounds out its screeching warning
Squawk… Squawk… Squawk…
Time for school.