Dreamworld

The Sleeping Gypsy - by Henri Rousseau (a favourite painting)

Dreamworld

- by Lucy Hinton, 2012

I feel myself slipping

beneath the lamplit veil

into the silky waters

of my other life

the dark life

of night,

of colour and magic powers

stalked by wondrous animals

with flaming eyes

all familiar and exotic -

they are spirits

friends, enemies;

and they are also Me

The world of dreams

is perhaps the vastness

from which I emerged;

far wider even

than the world of day

The many creatures of my Self

drink from moonlit pools

lick salt

steal food

bleed

devour

and revive

the Universe anew

They are the prowling memories

and prophesies

of what lies beneath & beyond

the borders of this skin

------------

They are my prowling memories

and prophesies

of what lies beneath & beyond

the borders of this skin

They are my memories

and prophesies

of life before

I took this skin

The world of dreams

is perhaps the vastness

from which I emerged;

far vaster even

than the world of day