Death’s Dream

 
Last night, I died in my dream
I wouldn’t class it as a nightmare
Given the subject matter it was calm
I walked down a very dimly lit hallway
Deep purple velvet flocked wall paper
Brass wall lights flickering like candles
The dark swirl patterned carpet was
Like walking slow motion in treacle
The ceiling moved like dark storm clouds
Black a grey with random flashes of red
I could hear children crying and sobbing
As if it was a choral symphony of misery
I still walked slowly but I was unafraid
A door appeared at the end of the hall
A green wooden double door, out of place
Two large brass door knockers hung
A caged peephole, rather ornate, sat flush
I banged the gong of one of the knockers
The noise almost deafening my ears hurt
‘Somebody surely must have heard that!’
The peephole slid open like elevator doors
An eye appeared “Do you have identification?”
I took my index finger and jammed it right in
The eye recoiled “Identification verified!”
Then the sound of multiple locks unlocking
Rather than opening, the door disappeared
The floor of the room was covered in mist
The walls were crushed red velvet curtains
On a black plinth stood a black gloss coffin
The top half open in the usual manner
The crying and sobbing began again
A line of five children waiting in line
In front of the coffin wanting too see
Each crying child took their turn, a kiss
And a wave goodbye in slow motion
There was something strangely familiar
I definitely recognised all of these boys
It was only when they came up to shake
My hand that I realised who they were
The five children were me at different
Ages: I felt the emotion of their loss
One by one they shook my hand, then
Disappeared down the dark hallway
Furtively, I moved slowly to the coffin
I looked inside, and with a lump in my
Throat, I realised it was me, just paler
Strangely though he had both legs
I sadly looked down and so did I
I heard a voice “He is at peace now.”
I thought ‘lucky him, clearly I am not’
I stood quietly at the rainy graveside
There were no mourners, not a one
I had to shovel the dirt on myself
The rain stopped, the sun shone  
Through the curtains waking me up
And for the first time in ages, I cried
I was still alive!
 
The next time somebody say to me
If you die in your dreams you actually die
I am gonna punch them hard in the mouth