i dreamed I was gliding across the yard
on a metal scooter, then
the scooter rose into the air, and
i was flying, covering incredible
distances with each second,
finally landing in front
of a perfect white wooden farmhouse
from the fifties

a lady was there, welcoming me
with a smile that terrified me, that
said, i am hungry
i asked her where i was
in her unblinking eyes i saw her thinking
you will get back home
be calm calm calm
something in her voice
detached, robotic

i tried to open my eyes–not
my dream eyes, my actual eyes–and
they would not open
then, i knew this was no dream
–it was a screen—
to hide what was
happening to my body, no longer
in my bed

as i realized this, the smile left its
face and its eyes were huge and hateful
and then i woke and the
sun was up and the clock
was blinking 12:00 and i felt
pain and my pillow was
in the hallway and my nightgown
was inside out and
i tried to hold on to
the memory and
i heard a voice coming from the
boney bump at the base
of my skull, and the voice said

we
are
near