Dream In A Nightmare

Don't forget that a dream

is not always a good thing

Like this world that I live in

was once upon a time

imagination sublime

to a scientific dreamer

who dreamt of controlling

and drugging the people

with imaginary rings

through their undiscerning noses

attached to his strings

and pulled past the roses

to graze on the fallow

and told: "This is gold"

to keep them all shallow

never leaving the fold

to search greener pastures

which meantime are murdered

by drought and neglect

to profitable effect

no comparison left

between good or the bad

just to have or have not

of the fodder he provides

and which everyone buys

making him the rich king

of this world that I live in

which he secretly contrived

from a tissue of lies

the opium of zombies

in a gestalt society

where drunkenness outwits sobriety.

But don't forget that I can dream

my way out of this nightmare

where status isn't everything

and money has no w***e

and charities aren't excuses

for snubbing the poor

And those that followed fashions blindly

proclaiming s**t as literature

and literacy as genius

and ignorance as stricture

and art as popularity

and vanity as beauty

where monotony is music

and apathy is sanity

of belonging as a duty

and intellect profanity -

for each of the above, and all

the tyrants they let lead them

the writing is on the wall

of this dream of revolution

and they'll be first against it

when the revolution comes

facing a line of dreams with guns

and trigger-happy fingers.

But for now we are dreams in a nightmare

a secret society yet to be formed

all we need is a leader 

to write upon the wall

and point us the way

where we'll all hear the call

and unite through a dream -

Choose your side. That is all.

Reviews

[Crowley]

Its like a church that has grown and prospered and with growth came issues and because of these issues a few break off to form the more perfect church where everyone is recognized and soon it thrives and becomes too large etc...etc....etc...I loved this, the first half a monument to the feeling of those demonized by what they feel is oppression and the thumb of the man, the second half a realization and a lesson that the tyrannized support the tyranny in a way and the primrose path is the path that leads to yet another tyranny. How can there ever be a correct path when context is king and as such is predisposed to beheading its subjects.

[miSS LEaf]

all we need is a leader
to write upon the wall
and point us the way
where we'll all hear the call
and unite through a dream -

sounds like an election campaign, lol, but indeed sometimes we just wait for that one special person who we dreamt able to change anything...

[A.Lee]

This is excellent. Very full and strong, like something that would be read in an effort to rally people together. To get them to open their eyes and realize what type of world they're living in because they followed someone elses dream.

"But for now we are dreams in a nightmare
a secret society yet to be formed"

So true. There are tons of voices, tons of dreamers, all scattered through out the place, all dreaming similar things, but eventually they can come together and "revolutionize". I love the way it goes from realizing the oppression we're living in to realizing what needs to be done to change it.

[Liza]

wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you really dropped a literary bomb
so very intelligent
you tied so many complexities so smoothly
broke down every little element of greed
made the gray and set it to black and white
i really really loved it

[.]

I'm with you! This is a thinking mans poem, you at least in the second stanza give your reader some hope that we have a way out of this society and it's trappings..you really have a wonderful way with description, there are some classic lines especially in the second stanza (won't quote) but had to re read a couple of times just to soak it all in..lovely jubbly!

[Ruth]

I admire this poem a lot Devon's! An extremely deep and poignant way of voicing the feelings for the image :)
"Choose your side. That is all.".......so true! Love or fear, that would be to me lol If we live with love and not fear, the powers the secret societies have over the people would crumble!
Wonderful poem
xx

[Desert Dreamer]

I feel the growth of this revolution, more and more people are dreaming a similar dream, I among them. You have described well the current system of control which includes locking up the food and leaving the only option as buying food and becoming part of the system. My thoughts go on, great poem to spark my mind in to motion.

[Sweet_pale_cacophony]

I like it a lot when you write like this.One thought leading to another.A mosaic of many thoughts which are relevant to the society we live in.I like the image.I feel everyone should write like this...at least once..that is to voice what we go through from day to day yet somehow all that we feel,all that we undergo is not always voiced.Our opinions on issues seem to get lost in the accumulating rubble of mundane days.I like the strong resonating voice here.
I like
from a tissue of lies
the opium of zombies
in a gestalt society
where drunkenness outwits sobriety.
I like the optimistic note here which says yes this is how..yet we can overcome it.

[Poetic Beauty]

This makes a powerful statement and you poem flows flawlessly in my mind. You have described secret societies and at some point people have to choose to be lead by ignorance or to fight against it. Great job and very descriptive in you message. all this from the image. Well done.

[Fran Marie]

and they'll be first against it
when the revolution comes
facing a line of dreams with guns
and trigger-happy fingers.
But for now we are dreams in a nightmare
a secret society yet to be formed
all we need is a leader

There are so many valid points you touch down on within this well crafted
piece, I can envision an uprising of the people,after being told for so long how they must exist accordingly, like zombies in a trance like state... being led to believe every gullible lie being told ~I like the rebellious attitude in tone this piece expresses>>"Choose your side. That is all." we clearly must know what we want if we're ever to achieve it~ Well done!!

[TreeStar]

An inspirational piece as I think it shows the spring of hope in a bleak and depressing time. I wait for this leader you mention, I wonder if I'll see him/her in this lifetime. I agree, the powers that be keep pissing on us and calling it "rain".... some of us fail to know the difference. Very powerful write here, I am thoroughly impressed ;)