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Sestina: of a Dream

by Amanda Bullington

On entering R.E.M. sleep last night, I had a dream
In which the two of us were the stars.
You greeted me in a way forbidden to us by the light,
Stealing my voice with kisses, ‘til I could hardly breathe.
The night shone brightly on all the world’s shores,
And you invited me upon the sand to walk down to the water.

On cool sand, unheated by the sun, we edged closer to the water,
Only stopping at the thick, white barrier separating us from the shores.
Together, we sunk onto a solitary bench there, and gazed upon the stars,
And you showed me constellations in the twinkling light.
The world felt like a wonderful dream
As I held you then, and listened to you breathe.

In your arms, I had forgotten how to breathe
By myself, as our chests rose and heaved as one above the water.
Once the waves lulled you to sleep, I watched you dream
With a subtle smile on your face, intensified by the stars;
Unwilling to sleep lest the beauty emulated there was lost to the light,
I stayed awake all night, until morning dawned upon the shores.

At your waking, we overtook the white barrier to stand upon the shores
Left smooth and soft from where the tide drew back the water.
Our footsteps were the first marks in the early morning light
As the rest of the world laid still immersed in dream;
And only we saw the beauty of the world, and breathed
The cool, crisp air, left behind by the disappearing stars.

The beach was covered in shells and living stars
Slowly suffocating upon the beaches, unable to breathe
The air of our barren, desolated shores.
We gently placed the starfish back into the water,
Caught up in humanity’s perpetual dream
Of stopping all the darkness in the world, and returning it to light.

After saving the starfish, we watched the new arrivals as the morning light
Woke the rest of humanity, and called them out to stand upon the shores.
Little children began swimming in the water
As their grandparents peered blissfully at the retreating stars.
Returned to our bench now, we listened to the world breathing
Until, in your arms, I awoke from our dream.

In the light of dawn, you asked about my dream,
So I told you of the unlit shores and glowing stars.
Breathing heavily, you said you’d dreamed with me, and handed me a glass of water.

02/07/2005

Author's Note: Yes, this was a real dream, yes, there was a special person in it, and yes, you know who you are, cause I told you about it. <3

Posted on 02/07/2005
Copyright © 2024 Amanda Bullington

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