In Sleep

In sleep
We run
From fears and oddities
That would tear us
Limb from limb
If we were awake

Such as two doors
Within a home
Behind one a tiger
By the name of Hasan
Who is docile and tame
But the other
Contains a lion
Of whom they call Christian
Who is a beast
Shut your rooms
Seal the padlocks
For when you go to feed
A tiger rests
Within his quarters
But the other sits empty
Scream to warn those
Who raised you
Only to be echoed
By a scream of horrid death
Call for help
On a green telephone
Whose cords stretch
To a place unknown
Then run to see
Parental love
Torn to bloody pieces
Barely living
"I love you," It whispers
But the guilt consumes
Find the bloody Christian
And pry open his jaws
Only to place them
Around your throat

In sleep
We run
From fears and oddities
That would tear us
Limb from limb
If we were awake

Such as vandals
Of whom you see
Trying to break into
Locked cars set in park
Bystanders with grey masks
Call the police
On yellow telephones
Whose cords stretch
To a place unknown
Yell at the criminals
Whose faces you recognize
As two women
You used to call
"Friends"
They cackle and laugh
While police sirens wail
As authorities arrive
As you would assume
To take them away
But the policeman just laughs
"What's the problem?" He taunts
Before you answer
He draws a gun
And points it at your chest
There is no order
Living here anymore

In sleep
We run
From fears and oddities
That would tear us
Limb from limb
If we were awake

Such as women
Who own the orphanage
Of which you reside in
And make everything
A drawn-out process
To do what you love
And create art on paper
It must be approved
Like everything else
They dial numbers
With their elongated fingernails
On red telephones
Whose cords stretch
To a place unknown
They get approval
From men you admire
Who work for the internet
"27 times daily"
The women inquire
On the amount of times
You watch his face
They give him the name
You use to cloak your identity
Across the digital world
But he doesn't even know
That you exist here
They make you scrub the dishes
Crusted over with all the
Days old meals
They stamp your paper
With blood red ink
And you begin to create art
As the other orphans
Partake in interpretive dance

In sleep
We run
From fears and oddities
That would tear us
Limb from limb
If we were awake

Such as the murderer
Who waits outside the windows
Of empty restaurants
Holding a blue telephone
Whose cords stretch
To a place unknown
Someone is calling for you
"Come answer" He says
But he speaks without words
So loudly without a face
Then you are picked up
By a lover you know
Onto his shoulder
Off the cold floor
He brings you to the glass doors
Open them slowly
Only to reveal
There is no man in sight
Then wails the sound
Of an old chainsaw
as a victim is dragged out
Blindfolded by the killer
Only to be met
By decapitation
Before your glazed watch
You scream to get inside
But no movement is made
By the one you rest upon
You are trapped here

In sleep
We run
From fears and oddities
That would tear us
Limb from limb
If we were awake
But you ARE asleep
So wake yourself
For you are dreaming
Drenched in cold sweat