THE PRESENCE OF THE PAST (photo) & THE MAGIC IT RUNS ON (dream narrative) by Roswila

THE MAGIC IT RUNS ON

(the memory camcorder replays the dream,
which was already in progress
as the recording began)

... a young dark haired woman begins to manifest
in the room; she's not only clearly terrified
of what she's been fleeing but in labor, and equally
afraid of the Priestess who steps forward to help her

the Priestess, from ancient Egypt and adorned
in full sacred regalia, checks the young woman's
dilation, crooning to her that it's OK to come
through to this time and place, to this big city
of tall chrome and glass buildings

yet the young woman not only holds back
on the birthing, trying to wrap her dark, shadow-like
clothes tightly around her and refusing to bear down,
but is too afraid to risk coming fully forward
into this unknown time and, instead, wavers
in out and out of manifestation

the Priestess senses the young woman's fear
is come by honestly and leaves the small
office-cum-sacred-birthing-space to find
a guard to stand by in the birthing room,
both to calm and to protect the terrified,
wavering woman in labor

as she enters the down elevator the Priestess
meets up with a handsome, young, bare-chested
guard confidently holding a large crescent
shaped sword in one hand

she explains the situation as the elevator
approaches the ground floor: "The young woman
simply refuses to come through fully..."

"I've seen this before," the guard replies
"what chases them here must be quite a nightmare
if it leaves them so afraid to accept any help"

the Priestess gets an odd, far away look in Her
large dark eyes, adding slowly "Do you think it
possible she can't come completely through
because she's actually dreaming us?"

they look at each other, each masking a shiver
with a slight shrug, then fall silent as they wait
for the next elevator back up to the birthing
room, after all, as the Priestess breaks the silence
to note, the young woman will bring an infant into
this world any minute, whether or not she allows
herself to fully manifest along with her babe

the up elevator arrives, the magic it runs on
humming like a soft lullaby


[narrative on a dream of 12-13-16. Photo "The Presence of the Past" (12-09-16 018v2) by Roswila]

PLEASE NOTE: in most browsers you can click on the above image for a larger version. Also, the photo accompanying a post is not necessarily meant to illustrate it, but to reflect some small, even slant aspect of the verse, similar to Japanese haiga (illustrated haiku).

There are many other sorts of posts on this blog. I indicate which are about or influenced by dreams. Some non dream focused posts are book reviews, "regular" poems (some by other writers), scifaiku, writing exercises, Tarot haiku, photos, haiga, and so on. However, most of those are in much older posts. There's a listing by month going back to early 2006, at the end of the sidebar.

* * * *

until next time, keep dreaming,

[a/k/a Patricia Kelly]
**** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”). Roswila's other blog (dedicated to her photos only, i.e. no poetry or other writing; daily post); TRYING TO HOLD A BOX OF LIGHT.