Recent Work

A Dream

2020

I had a dream last night in my sleep

that something good had happened for me, 

and everyone I knew just wanted a piece.  

They flirted with greed,

flattered with jealousy,

and all I craved was to subtly leave. 

​

But then someone arrived, their smile a light,

their presence more impactful than seemingly mine!

And everyone watched your confident stride

as you made your way straight to my side.

You didn’t yet know that I had won,

but looked at me with such pride. 

​

And all I could muster, with everyone’s eyes still on me,

was a kiss on your cheek,

but that seemed more than you need:

You lifted me up,

and spun me around, 

held me so close,

but when you set me down

we were again center crowd....

A young man approached you then

and offered a hand, 

crushed yours in his

as he introduced his clan. 

He gave an invitation to drinks

(they were headed there next),

his eyes were axes thrown with strength,

his tone a spit on your face. 

​

You replied “no thanks”

then returned to me,

said you’d never met anyone so transparently mean. 

I sputtered an apology for being naive:

an enemy to my lover is no friend to me,

and I began to fear love wasn’t meant for me:

I’ve always cared too much about what others think,

and love is a great responsibility when eyes are on me.

But I keep thinking of your cheek,

soft under my kiss,

your arms wrapped around me,

that joyful lift.

Your presence comforting,

your intentions true--

how this dream made me think I could be with you! 

​

Oh, I still have so much to learn 

about love and friendship,

about how we’re in charge of our own happiness. 

The journey is long, but we’ll see where it takes us.

Perhaps to failures, perhaps successes, 

perhaps to heartbreak,

perhaps a kiss.