Abbe Sleeps Through Kevin's Advice

A Poem by Abbe A

artists and their dreams

The last thing I remember was
having a project brewing in my mind
no, burning up my head
I had bizarre bird photos that needed exhibiting within a
bird house
how would I build and light them properly inside

my friend Kevin would know
and I contacted him asking
if he would be at the gallery today he said
yes, later in the day
so I said yes, later in the day’s good because I’m sleepy
I’ve been up since 3am pacing
under a full and draining moon after counting and recounting
the nuts on my chunky peanut butter sandwich (87) and
I needed sleep
then cranked up my electric blanket all the
way to HIGH
and curled up fetal as my body absorbed
electrons spitting out positive current

but I was sure I was not able to sleep and the next thing I knew
I had paddled to the Gallery in a red boat and
Kevin sat on his green chair with his hat and yellow shirt on
legs up as waves curdled about the floor

He inquired as to why I had
brought all the water from the marina

I said it came with the boat
and asked about building birdhouses
and he said the project was a birdbrained idea
and if I used any electric right now we would both fry,
the boat would catch fire and all the artwork would go
up in flames

but my blanket must stay plugged in I argued
or I can’t go home again and tried to push the prongs into an outlet
as an eel on the other side spit the plug back out
and laughed at my idea of a ‘Peep Show”
calling it ‘fishy’

I looked back at Kevin who was then tacking out the gallery door
the sails on both sides of the chair were lovely in full regalia
his beloved Debe was trying to hold the chair back as
Kevin laughed like a pirate and leaned over yelling for
Debe to release The Kracken”

I shuddered then woke next to a book opened to the page of
Dore’s Andromeda
and remembered Kevin’s message about going to the gallery
it was 2 hours past nap-land and frivolous minutes were tearing down the
retaining wall of sleep
I escaped and drove to the gallery in a hurry
Kevin was sitting in his chair
I told him about the project and he had good ideas

I spoke of my dream and
he said whatever advice he gave inside sleep
were words of vagrant vapors
Debe quietly peeled her orange after taking in the whole somnolent account
she put a slice to her mouth and hesitated,
“How much for that blanket” she inquired
while the orange slice slid through her wet fingers
sprouted legs and ran off
leaving a very fragrant trail…