Solace (Poetry Book 3)

My Lyrics: Tell a Dream

I never had dreams.

I saw

I see

I slept

I dreamed

It was less about adventuring into the unseen

And experiencing what was felt and real.

Dreams and reality were the same thing for me

So for a long time I couldn't tell when I was awake or asleep.

But I could tell,

After a while,

That the life at night was a dream

A sweet, sweet, dream

And I never wanted to wake up.

I had days when I'd rather keep my eyes on robin blues and shattered stars

The light fracturing boughs into heavenly star lights

To make-believe real so I could believe in the real.

But after a while

I realized the allure of sweet, sweet, dreams

At night

When no one was about.

I could play for as long as I wanted

Sleep when I wanted.

I could stay up for as long as I wanted

See what I wanted.

I could sleep for as long as I wanted

To experience what I wanted.

Because when I grew up,

As I did,

I saw that the real was not mine to give

Or make

Or see

Or create.

I was just a child who knew "nothing"

So I couldn't dream

I shouldn't.

So I never dreamed.

A/N: Indiana University Writing Conference 2021

Ross Gay's Class "Lyric Archiving"

Content Topic: The Self as an Archive

Lyric: a conversation not bound to time and conservative movements; it can be disruptive in nature

Day 1- June 3rd, 2021