'THE NIGHTMARE"

This Poem was written in 1970. I was still struggling with the sudden death of my brother Vincent. He was my best friend and I went into a deep depression. I had nightmares every night for years. They had the same theme, different settings, and always I woke up screaming. Lasted a long time until I met the sweetest man. His name was Paul and he introduced me to Buddhism, a truly life altering move on my part. It saved my life.

THE NIGHTMARE

It is the screams that wake me ..
pulling me up from the
dark abyss of my mind
Gutterlal haunting screams ...
of pain and fear ...
sounds of another world

I awake but can not move ...
paralized from head to toe
stuck in a moment of time
Unable to open my eyes
for fear of validating
the crime unfolding

My heart pounds in my chest ....
so loud I cannot think ....
so hard I fear it will explode
Slowly I open my eyes
to search the room...
for the intruder ....
the raper of my life

And there in the darkest corner
a shadow ... moves ....
threatening ... ever posed
to lower the knife.....
Fear takes over....I cannot not scream....
There is no voice ... no sound ...
just fear uncontrolled....

There... there in the corner ....
Oh no....no....
My God NO!
A coat ... a chair,.... a flickering light
Shadows .... not a crime
A NIGHTMARE


j. monteleone