Verse: After

Originally posted in October 2007 on Facebook

When at last
you are awake
we will gather up
all your dreams
from last night's sleep
we will sweep them
from your pillow
we will comb them
from your hair
and we will sift
through them
carefully extracting
the nightmares
which we will toss away

the ones that remain
we will place them
in jars
like fireflies
or moonbeams
label them
and set them on
the window sill
so they catch the sunlight

and when, at last
they have ripened
we will set them free
to lift our spirits
on some dull
damp afternoon