Dreaming of Things Falling Apart

This time it is a surprise to you
that you remember the dream
of your white teeth
falling from your mouth,
past your lips and down
the drain that used to be
your body

or possibly this is the dream
where you have taken apart the machine
that mows the grass joyfully
in the heat of summer
and you carefully wrapped the pieces
in cloth
like the dead.

It might be that someday soon
sleep will find you at home
alone in your comfortable bed
when you will again dream
you have lost your way
in the pounding ache of darkness;
the haunting drumming of the punk
you may or may not have played
as a kid.

It doesn't matter. It is only a dream.

Night in this chapter is the shadow of the mind
that tries to control your breath with shackles,
racing ahead of you with the skeleton keys
jangling in the pockets of your head;
making your rush
where you would rather
crawl under the warmth
of the heavy cover
of morning
and into
all that
pink and yellow
light.

Let yourself
close your eyes and jolt;
jump out of the frame
of this scene--
an old film
crumbling,
falling apart
on the floor
of your expectations.