Nightmare Dreamer Speaks

January 25, 2026 Poet: Artwork: Mindfully We Care for the Dreamers by Denise Kester

Nightmare Dreamer Speaks

Nightmare Dreamer Speaks:

Tonight I feel gutted

he shot her

in her pale round knitted-winter-hat-framed face

then he yelled fuckin' bitch as he turned and walked away

from her out of control car

speeding down snow patched street

crashing into dark brown wood light pole

Nightmare Dreamer speaks:

My blood red heart erupts

with terror

agony

rage

shattered like pepper balls exploding on ice

tears gassed from my eyes melt my skin

this is not a time I want to be awake

I want a different dream

Nightmare Dreamer speaks:

If I write my poem

read it in public

will you feel upset

disturbed

provoked

name me as enemy of the people

hope they take me away

and detain me in another dark place

Huge black mother bear embraces nightmare dreamer

all I want to do is sleep disappear

follow the void dark path down down down

into mother earth's belly

where snakes sleep and shed their skins

where red-capped white spotted mushrooms

invite deep tremulous visions

where no light disturbs the dreaming

Old wisdom says

this world is breaking apart

let break what needs to break

Shadowing mother bear

a soft sun-glowing radiance

mindfully

carefully

seeps into nightmare dreamer’s cells

giving her strength

giving her resilience

giving her serenity.