The Old Dream Catcher

A poem can appear like the stuff of dreams

that might be caught on an old dream catcher.

But what if the catch is not what it seems

and all that's caught is just the old dreamer?

For how can a pen put a dream into words

if the dream is made of such different stuff,

if its essence is outside what language records

and the dreamer's few words are never enough.

But it struggles awake and starts to grow

though nothing will ever be right first time.

For it takes quite a while to learn how to flow

with a voice of its own and even some rhyme.

And then like a child it must leave the nest,

a newcomer, out in the world on its own.

For no one will ever be much impressed

with a body of words that stays unknown.

This dream was caught a while ago,

and written down, and then let go.

The Old Dream Catcher took Second Place in the 'That's What I'm Talking Contest'

and was accepted for publication online in Sol Magazine, Summer 2007.

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