(A lone voice whispers)

I always used to wonder
Where do Robins go to sleep

Then one dark night
Within a deep all-consuming lucid dream

At approximately one o'clock

A beautiful deity appeared out of the mist

Wearing a blue and white coat

Holding a Lily and a shining lantern

Across its shoulder, a golden trumpet and a branch from Paradise

On its golden belt
Hung a scepter and a silver scroll

As it strolled towards me

Within my illustrious sleeping streams

A strange palace of darkness

Where no birds
Flew or squawked

Its mysterious ever watchful eyes

Held me firmly transfixed
Like an ethereal heavenly hawk

Its bright white orbs
Swallowed me whole

As it whispered words
I'll remember
Until I'm old

Within the light of day,
We appear

Your beloved and even I

To watch over and visit you

To see and follow all that you do

When we, the blessed few

Waiting in the new spectacular bright white lights

In the glorious cathedrals of Atmos, shadowy arches

Cross over
When allowed a brief time

Before we are eventually
Reunited in a new form

To rejoice in hymn
Within your All Highs
Divine Church

Depending upon
The faith of your choice

To visit those we still
Love

To leave a sign or sing
A sonnet

Happily with echoes of our new voice as we too mourn

Then in here
At darkness

In
The Great In-Between

A place you all visit
Whenever you fall asleep

In deep dreams,
We always appear

For real spiritual shapeshifters
Like us

Never really sleep

We just transform into Robins

Through a supernatural technique

For sometimes they are merely vessels
We use

Just one of our everlasting souls keeps

So if you see one
And it sings

Looking straight at you
Remember this

It's just a beloved loved one

Maybe even me
Archangel Gabriel

Channelling
Through

And with that beautiful closing line

It disappeared quietly
Back into the receding winds that whined

Of the Hidden Divine

And when I awoke at eight,
I'm sure it met me

Sat on my old garden's wooden gate

My beautiful friend
Who loves to sit on the washing line

Whispering and singing
Hello

Sending shivers and tingling

Shooting
As I remember that dream

All the way
Up and down

My sinuous
spine

(C)
Copyright John Duffy