Dream forever drawing in
and holding hostage
on that plain between coroner's sleep
and fretful awakeness
a nervy brain-current
twitching REM
violent combat
forcing awake
to escape that relentless
scratching

Swollen eye
like a bee-sting kiss

Awaken to
birds' song
whose messages
translate
into
something else surpasses sleep...

Morning song enters
fears subside
life's dream