Category: Dream State

Star Spangled Dream

One night during my illness–stuffy head, equilibrium-hampering, sinus infection–I dreamt that I was attending either a concert or a movie in an outdoor arena. Just before the event began a giant screen flashed the words:

Please Stand For Our National Anthem

I immediately stood, and began urging those around me to stand, as well. Grudgingly they did. The strains of The Star Spangled Banner began and then abruptly stopped. 

Sorry, technical difficulties!

Flashed across the screen. Then a voice from a loudspeaker boomed, “Will anyone lead in the singing of our national anthem?”

With no hesitation I began, 

Oh, say can you see…

and to my delight people joined in and we all sang the entire song on key. It was a gloriously impossible rendition of our national anthem, especially considering that I knew immediately that I’d begun the song an octave too high. Dreams are wonderfully forgiving.

Once the song ended and we were congratulating one another on our performance a woman in the next section came to me and offered me a role in a traveling Disney performance. I agreed immediately, but then looked over at Studly who was clearly upset by the thought of me leaving, and subsequently declined the offer. 

When I awakened I realized my throat was scratchy. That’s what happens when one sings The Star Spangled Banner an octave too high. 

Peace, people!

  

Dark

would you clap in delight
when the lights go out,
or would you cower in darkness
afraid to take a single step?

would you cry in despair
believing all was lost,
or pass the time in reflection
recalling the blessings of night?

would you dance in place
swaying with abandon
or collapse in a heap of despair
forever changed by the absolute?

 

After I published this post a friend and fellow writer, Janie Christie Heniford, pointed out that the quote attributed to Galileo is instead from a poem (below) by Sara Williams. Thanks Janie! 

Though my soul may set in darkness,
It will rise in perfect light.
For I have loved the stars too fondly
To be fearful of the night.–Sara Williams

Houses

To sleep, perchance to dream…

I often dream of houses
that seemingly have room
after room with no hallways.

In these rooms I wander
finding unexpected treasures,
antiques, and curiosities in each.

Someone once told me that
when we dream about houses
we are dreaming about our lives.

In that case, my life is
filled with wonderful oddities
and treasures all hiding in plain sight.

Written in response to the Daily Post’s Daily Prompt.

Head Transplants: Decisions, Decisions 

Recently right before bedtime I read an article on Facebook about a surgeon who believes that within the next two years he will be able to perform head transplants.

Well, bully for him! I tried in vain to figure why anyone would need a head transplant, but it just didn’t make sense. Maybe if some poor soul had a decapitating injury and by chance his body was kept viable and another poor schmuck found his torso ripped to shreds yet his head was intact a surgeon could put the head with the torso and voilá! Frankenperson!

I read parts of the article to Studly and we brainstormed ways in which it might work. Then I went to bed and the topic entered my dreams for an epic, ethical nightmare:

Three children, two boys and one girl each suffering from an incurable head-eating disease. All will die within 24 hours if a new head isn’t found to replace their defective ones. One head becomes available. It is compatible with each of the three children who all went on the transplant list at the same time. I have to decide who gets the head.

I awakened in a cold sweat and I have no idea who got the head. 

That’ll teach me to stay online too close to bedtime.

Peace, people.

Selfless Vampire

Sometimes my dreams are so vivid and so weird I have to write them down. 

Last night I dreamt that vampires were living among us. They attended sporting events and parent teacher conferences, did laundry and went for long walks. They did their best not to infect others, feeding selectively and carefully so as not to kill or turn humans. However, vampire nature being what it is, inevitably there were lapses and new vampires would be made. Everyone was aware of the danger, but life carried on. 

In my dream I was a young girl with a younger sister. We lived with our parents and an aunt. My mother gave birth to a precious baby girl and she named her Felicity. Everyone cherished Felicity. She was precious in a time of unrest. 

Soon after Felicity’s birth I was turned by a reckless vampire, and I turned the rest of the family sparing only Felicity. Our family guarded the baby night and day against any vampire who might attempt to take her. I was the only one who could actually hold the baby without feeling hunger, so she stayed with me constantly.

Now here’s where it got weird(er). My vampire family took a cross country trip in an old truck to watch a college baseball game. We arrived at the stadium and found our seats in the section reserved for vampires. I suppose none of the normal folks wanted to end up being snacked on during the seventh inning stretch.

Of course I was caring for Felicity, but the vampires around us noted her presence early on and began moving closer to our group. I knew if they ganged up on my family that we would surely lose our precious infant. I decided to take the baby to a neutral place–the concessions area, where she might be safer.

Seated on a bench near the hot dog stand I kept up with the game through the announcers over the stadium speakers and the roar of the crowd.

A normal man came and sat beside me and started asking questions about the nature of vampirism and how we expected to keep the baby safe. I wept. I told him I thought the task was both necessary and futile.

A group of hungry  vampires approached and the man fought them off, sparing himself and the baby. That’s when I knew what I needed to do. I asked the man if he would take Felicity and care for her, if he would protect her from vampires. He gave me his solemn promise, and I knew Felicity would grow strong with him.

When I rejoined my family no one even asked about the baby.

I was going to ask for interpretation, but I think I’ve figured this one out. I’d love to hear your thoughts, though.

The Walking Dead Season Finale

Holy cow! Walkers

Everywhere one can see

Morgan saves the day.  Trust Carol, sunshine

She’s badass and tough as nails

Apocalyptic queen.

 

Power. Officer

Rick Grimes wears the mantle well

Follow him, I would.  

Silently hunting

Crossbow at the ready now

Daryl’s aim is true.

  

Ok, I’m obsessed. Here I sit, a relatively civilized woman, sipping a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and contemplating the best ways of killing walkers.

Three Doors, One Choice

Today’s prompt from The Daily Post: You’re having a nightmare, and must choose between three doors. Pick one and tell what you find on the other side.

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In darkness I navigate the narrow maze.
Behind me I hear the labored breathing
Of an unknown predator. I cannot stop.

Two left turns, hands pressed flat against
Rough walls of stone. Abruptly stumbling
I find myself facing three towering doors.

Slim candles in sconces flicker, offering
Little clue as to which door provides for
My salvation from the rampaging beast.

Door one is painted red. The deep, hue
Of blood. Orange flames shoot across a
Wooden lintel, daring me to cross below.

Angels grace the second door accented
Against an aerial array of cumulonimbus
Clouds in a sky of heavenly aquamarine.

As the beast draws near I observe the third
Door. Ancient and carved with Celtic runes
Beckoning me to throw caution to the gods.

The choice seems simple: Forsake doors one
And three. Door two seemed a haven, but then
Out of darkness roared an unearthly demon.

With some hesitation I step inside the door
Most mysteriously carved. Fevered drumming
Was my reward. The third door held strong.

Otherworldly chanting to the steady beat of a
Bodhran reverberates within my chest, pulls me
Onward relentlessly toward the echoing sound.

An ethereal luminescence illuminates my steps
Into a forest populated entirely by wee folks
Who gently guide me into a circle enchanted.

A faerie dressed in finest silks alights beside me
And gracefully bids me sit within the mystical
Ring. A guest of honor for their celebratory meal.

“What brings you here?” Faerie asks. I feel certain
She reigns as deva within this forest primeval.
“A beast chased me into your realm,” I explain.

“Three doors you had from which to choose: One
Hell, another Heaven, yet you selected the third.
It isn’t often that mortals wager their lives on us.”

“I had little time to decide my fate with a monster
Close behind. Hell I rejected. Heaven seemed too
Safe. I could not resist the call of the unknown.”

Then we danced and drank far into the night. The
Faerie folk sang songs that resonated in the very
Depths of my soul. My heart expanded with love.

I awakened with tears on my cheeks and a smile
Teasing the corners of my lips. A lovely dream
Born from a nightmare. Beauty from the beast.

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A Visit with the Truth Fairy

The Truth Fairy flew through
My window last night
Flittered around and
Fumbled beneath my pillow.
Startled, I awakened and
Screamed,
“Who the hell are you?”

“Don’t mind me,
I’m the Truth Fairy,”
The intruder said.
“I’m searching for
Veracity. So far
I am unable to find
Even a trace within the
Confines of your abode.”

“I’ve found exaggerated
Prose, and pious poetry,
Inelegant phraseology, and
Insipid verse, but
Very little in the way of
Truth!”
He continued.

“Oh,” I replied.
“In that case,
Perhaps you are
Looking in all the wrong
Places.
The truth is Boring,
Veracity is dull and you are
Wasting your time.

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No Rest

I woke up this morning

In a mess of confusion

No rest for the wicked

The righteous can wait.

Dreams I’ve been dreaming

Don’t stop when I’m waking,

I only know sweetness

When I’m not feeling pain.

And I swear

There is hope

Sweet, sweet love

All around me.

The evidence abounds

In the kindness we do.

So why the confusion?

Why all the great worry?

Sweet salvation awaits

Just step out in the rain.

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Sleeping in the Nude

Pajamas are a must for me. I’ve tried sleeping in the nude, but I always have outrageously awful dreams when I do, such as I’m shopping in a supermarket and suddenly realize I’m buck (butt?) naked. In these I try frantically to hide behind the shopping cart as I continue shopping, because everyone knows that shopping carts are super concealers of nudity.

I’ve also dreamt that I’m naked as a newborn and sitting in a classroom. As soon as I discover that I’m sans clothing I pull my knees up to my chest and continue answering test questions in hopes that no one will spy my boobs just hanging there like overripe fruit.

Other naked dreams have me attempting to put gas in my car and attempting to hide between the pumps. Another includes a dilemma in which my clothing is clearly visible, but it is on the other side of a room full of people. In this one, I attempt to move ninja style, crouching and rolling in order to reach my clothes.

When I sleep in my well-worn p.j.s I just have normal dreams of talking cats assisting in my escape from islands inhabited by spear wielding cannibals. Maybe this is why I suffer from insomnia.

Peace, People!