WITNESS:
a nightmare

Dreamed 2006/2/16 by Patagia

A familiar young woman snaps an order A thick black dog looms fierce, a pit bull He seizes my hand in his awful jaw My breath lurches, mind collapses, thoughts scatter like wild ducks My eyes drop, tear-heavy An inner voice warns stop, surrender The ebony animal steps into shadow I match his pace, trembling, forced to follow The woman's face flushes red, Tears erupt, she says "How could you do that to me?"

My body tenses, I strive to keep calm, keep from triggering worse attack Long I look at her, she looks back Two women holding sorrow's shared root New tears spring, grow into mirrors Two old griefs merge and release us Dark cloud-knots open shafts of sun spill from their core The beast drops his grip turns from me, dissolves The young woman softens, melts into mist My hand to my heart Alone, I breathe and bend to touch the earth.