Inspired in part by a poem by S. R. Mason.
When you speak
of noble gasses
and blood vessels
instinct brings my hand
to my heart
to make sure
everything is okay
The white-knuckle grip
next to those broken ribs
is indeed mine
as are the aching lungs
that restrict my breathing
as I near the top of the hill
I have put in my way
So I massage my chest
with an index finger
trying both sides to see
if they’re just as tender
and consoling myself
that it hurts more over the rib
than it does between
I know I am worrying
about nothing
We write our poems—
me about my nightmares
you about yours—
as though this
is the most logical thing to do
But I still can’t shake
the feeling
that those nightmares
are of our own making
(27 August 2017)
Ordinary Average Thoughts 
Nightmares …. of our own making, yeah, but they are made of the daymares one can experience watching the news or listening to the radio when driving to work . Cheers!
Totally unrelated.
How so? Don’t you see any connection between daymares and nightmares?
It’s about personal demons, not political demons.
Kevin, I wasn’t think of anything political. I was thinking of disasters like Harvey, the fires in Montana or Oregon, and if you can allow, any day someone goes berserk and shoots a mass of people. I see a direct connection between those daymares and the nightmares I have and write about too. I know you know that a poem has a life of it own after the poet let’s it go out into the nightmarish world of daymares to interact with the minds and hearts of each reader. The way the poem plays in my mind and heart, it has everything to do with a connection between sleep and wakefulness. And by the way, I do very much like the poem or I wouldn’t have commented. I like this best: “as I near the top of the hill / I have put in my way…
And this…
I know I am worrying
about nothing
We write our poems—
me about my nightmares
you about yours—
as though this
is the most logical thing to do
But I still can’t shake
the feeling
that those nightmares
are of our own making
Anyway,,, I relate to that a lot to it and thanks for your understanding, Peace.
I gotta spend less time on the Facebooks… Seems like everything is political there these days (that’s what I was thinking of when I read that first comment).
Of course, yeah, I understand completely, ’cause you’re right. I’m really sick of it.
FYI: Cool Reading Update: Resist Trump Reading @ Columbia City Library, Sunday, September 10th 2 PM: Get there by 1:30 PM & Sign up with Georgia. This is liable to be a raucous reading full of passion and ire directed at Trump and his minions. Parking is often difficult but you can generally find a place within a few blocks.
That’s one I regularly go to, so I plan to be there.
Mercury retrograde strikes again!
I just HAD TO.. give that update on the political reading… LOL.