Dangerous Game

And she remembers dying.
-
She woke up screaming,
Hungry lungs gasping for life,
Filling with the breath of
Dead air and dust.
Dark eyes flickering from side to side
Like flame before sputtering
She swallows the dead air and dust.
-
Stands and leans against dark windowpane,
guts squishing and soft cloth pulling.
Dark skies, dark streets, dark eyes meet...
no monsters like the one from her dream.
-
Leans back and feels
wood beneath her feet, reassuring
the world has not fallen away
-
Turns and flees
Padding down origami hallways
stops at the towering doorway,
silently trembling
Meekly, hopefully whispers ‘Brother?’
-
Monstrous blue eyes peer at her
through the gathering gloom
And weight is shifted on the bed
-
Smiles fleetingly at the monster in the room.
-
‘What is it?’ the voice is
Quiet and measured.
-
‘I had a bad dream.’
-
A lingering stillness at the door
and then ‘Can I sleep with you?’
-
Moonlight measures the floorboards
out in even rows,
reminding her of the tomato garden
behind their house
where her mother crouches in the dirt
and smiles when she watches.
-
‘Go back to bed.’
-
Shadows paw tentatively at her sides
And she bites her lip.
The dark is a solid wall behind her
And the tears blur the fine tomato rows
Mixing red with gray.
-
‘Go back to bed. Now.’
-
‘Please?’
-
Silence and the dreaded hand
pushing at her back,
slowly urging her forward.
And it does not matter
what the other has said.
-
Like a spring broke free
she rushes forward,
the shadows screaming,
the upheaval of air a disgrace.
-
Caught in the demons arms,
she smiles selfishly.
Tears stain starched sheets
and distort the perfect rows,
making them bleed together
in the most dangerous game.

Reviews

[Mistaken]

Great imagery flow and just wow lol You feel as if you are experiencing teh dream yourself. this shows teh terror and adrenaline that stays within your body with a nightmare or trauma.

[G. Marie"floating on an..]

very vivid imagery here that I never wish in my wildest dream. buy I like it

[DBURKE]

I agree with Fatalrewind it sounds like a kid having a bad dream! I really enjoyed reading it great poem!

[FatalRewind]

It reminds me of a child that just had a terrible nightmare and wishes to sleep with his/her parents. It is a very good poem, good transitions, and the imagery is very good. I always feel that I will never understand the idea or imagination of a poet when they have me read there work. I wish I could type more other then I like it.

[Natalie.]

WOW. ( I especially love the metaphor about the tomato gardens). AMAZING imagery, buddy!