Running in My Sleep

A poem about a recurring nightmare for National Poetry Month

Image: Oleg Ivanov via Unsplash+

For day eleven of the National Poetry Month challenge hosted by

V. Walker | Poet

, the prompt was to write a poem based on a dream or nightmare.

I chose a nightmare I’ve had off and on again since that one night over ten years ago.

TW: Gun Violence

---

Eight hours of sleep, 
but for me it’s been weeks. 
Trapped in the aftermath,
of bullets and hate, 
A nightmare I’ve lived,
So. Many. Times. 

It starts normally. 
Like any other dream. 
Then the gunshots, 
followed by the screams. 
Running in my sleep, 
I make it out alive.

The dream continues. 
Forced to keep going. 
Scared to go outside.
Inside, completely terrified. 
Life goes on, tears are shed.  
Thoughts and prayers, they say. 

I see their faces, 
The ones who were killed. 
And nothing happens. 
Potential forever unfulfilled.
Infinite suffering ahead, 
Then I woke up in my bed. 

A few weeks go by, 
telling myself it isn’t real.
See it on the news. 
See how they all feel. 
Then one night in bed,
I’m back there again. 

Different places, 
same bullets. 
Sometimes I live,
Sometimes I don’t. 
Either way, life goes on. 
As I run in my sleep. 

---

Thanks for Reading. Here’s Your Musical Pairing

Listen to this after reading, like pairing a glass of wine with dinner.