Where He Sleeps

Where he sleeps, he is awake.
Grabs the keys, goes.
Traffic, work, endless din.
Dim hope of ever touching
her ocean skin.

A flash of blue eyes:

blue peels, reveals brown,
melts away, uncovers himself—

A mirror reflects reality

in the happy ending of his mind.

Where he sleeps, he is falling asleep.

His wax emotions melt away,
just the wick will remain.
Sunset tells the dream
welcome with its night.

A flash of the sandman’s eyes:

anxiety lifts, reveals thought,
drifts away, reveals sleep—

The balloons of fantasy expand

in the forefront of his mind.

Where he sleeps, he is dreaming.

His city folding over,
roses falling through it.
Thorns tearing concrete scars
like a sad song dogfight.

A flash of brown eyes:

brown peels, reveals blue,
flakes off, uncovers white—

A white candle burns

in the forefront of his mind.

Where he sleeps, she is waiting:

waving under the storm of broken time,
holding a large umbrella.


(From the book Kairos)