Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Writer's Island #11 - The Dream

I almost forgot about Writer's Island this week, so it's funny that upon visiting the site this morning, I should find out that the theme is "the Dream". Funny because I had quite the dream last night. It was probably more of a nightmare than a dream, but it was quite vivid and realistic. See, in real life, I have an irrational fear of "edges" or "precipices", and and it transpired into my dream last night.


Cremnophobia

I find myself
on a precipice
looking down
looking up
with nowhere to go

I must approach the edge
in order to proceed
to escape
but paralysis sets in

I can't move
I can't focus
I can't breathe

Knowing I will die here
If I don't move forward
I prepare myself
I inch forward
and I panic
palms sweaty
breath in hiccups
hyperventilating I scream

Frozen in place,
Dizzy, terrified
Wanting to jump
Get it over with
Too afraid to attempt
The descent

Pushing myself
Against the wall behind me
Drawing strength from its solidity
But the edge, so near
All alone up here
So quiet…so still…
I catch my breath with a sigh
The alarm, the bed, my pillow

It was only a dream.

Copyright 2007 - Karina

Be sure to visit Writer's Island for other castaways' work.

5 comments:

Lea said...

So very, very real... great post! In one of these dreams I would love to find that I have wings...

Tumblewords: said...

Amazing. I feel the fear and relief! Ah, yes.

writerwoman said...

I felt like I was there. This poem made me hold my breath.

Mary Timme said...

I think this is a pretty common dream. I've dreamed it sometimes and with variation. Mine is always a bottomless chasim and I've learned to make a bridge, so I can cross. Sometimes I think in taking the step our minds protect us. And it always leads to new experience. How neat to know others have similar dreams.

Anonymous said...

Sound so real and scary.