The Grave Dream
I dreamed
And saw her
Naked
Trembling
Lost
In the woods of some enormous, unknown forest
I wanted to run to her
To comfort
Clothe
And protect her
But I remembered how many times
I’d tried to do that
In other dreams
And in life
And how
She’d always
Pushed me away
How she could not hear
My voice
Anymore
So instead
I just watched
Telling myself
I would keep an eye out
And if any danger came
I would defend her
She bent down
And began to claw the dirt
Urgently digging
A hole
With bare hands
I didn’t understand
At first
Then suddenly
She was using a shovel
And I realized
What was happening
At that moment
An evil wind
Of living darkness
Blew through the trees
With a faint
But clear
Sound
Of diabolical laughter
And an unnatural night
Fell
On everything
The frigid wind
Touched
It blew through me
And seemed to steal
All the air from my lungs
As I struggled in vain
Calling out to her
NO
STOP
GET OUT OF THERE
YOU’RE DIGGING A GRAVE
YOU’RE DIGGING YOUR GRAVE
But the evil wind
Laughed harder
And she
Was so deep
In the hole
That all I could see
Was the shovel
Flinging clods
Finally
She threw out
The shovel
And the wind
Knocked me down
With the full power of its force
I lifted
My head
Fighting
Struggling
Inching toward
Her
Through the swirling
Dirt and dark
Then
I saw
The pile of Earth
Blow
Back
Into
The hole
I screamed myself awake
And found
Tears
On my face
And the sheets
Clenched
In white knuckled fists
And sometimes
Now and then
When I’m alone
I can still feel
That evil spirit
Of living darkness
Blowing
Through my chest
Taunting me
Reminding me
That she
Cannot hear me
Anymore
Still laughing
At
My futile
Attempts
To save someone
Who did not want
To be saved
Still reminding me
That despite
All my love
And strength
I
Could do
Nothing
Reminding me
Of the wind
That filled
Her grave
