Living Through a Real Nightmare Everyday

by Ernie McCray

Had a fright
in my sleep
the other night,
dreaming one of those dreams
where you’re
fighting for your life
but you can’t move
or scream
and suddenly you
spring to
an up position in your bed,
saying to yourself,
in relief,
“Oh, thank goodness
that was a dream.”

But I woke up

the next morning

in a reality

that’s nightmarish

beyond my

wildest dreams,

one, in which

a virus

has placed me

at a high risk of dying

and, as I look

for help,

there suddenly appears a menacing

unworldly looking

orange-faced demon on the scene,

standing and balancing

awkwardly with a forward lean,

misleading and spewing

racist views and misunderstandings,

lying about a little of everything:

ventilating machines,

non-existing vaccines,

downplaying the harm the virus can bring,

displaying leadership skills

best described as obscene…

and I scream loudly

into a valley

like a man drowning

at sea

with nobody to help

but a rescuer

with no arms

and no legs

who’s unable to

hear or see;

like the flame of a candle

flickering weakly,

struggling to stay lit

as an open window

lets in a strong breeze;

like a wide receiver standing alone

in the end zone

while the play caller

tries to run

a quarterback sneak;

Like a gambler

who has thrown snake-eyes

on a crap table,

seeing every penny he has ever earned

flowing away from him

like surf breaking

and evaporating on the beach…

But thank goodness night comes

and this horror

doesn’t deprive me of my sleep,

allowing me,

when I rise,

to realize

that I still can pursue my life’s dreams,

simple sweet dreams of

hugging my children

and grandchildren

and great-grand-children

and friends again,

hopefully soon someday.

Dreams

that help me live through

a real nightmare everyday.