the dream...

I had a dream. It was so long and so real that I thought it was my life, only better. It had fireflies in thick summer air, so heavy and humid that the light from the fireflies was diffused and amplified in that surreal way that can only happen in dreams. There was a black swan sitting in marsh grass by the edge of a lake, who knew secrets and sat listening--taking in every word. There was a constant flow of parks with different trees and paths and streams and ponds and puddles, but they all had in common the sounds of laughter and joy and pleasure. There was a black sky with huge bolts of lightening streaking to the ground from the clouds with thunder booms drowned out by angry music and laughter and murmuring voices. There was air so chilly you could see your breath and a cloudy but bright sky meeting a dark grey lake. The grass tickled and the blanket was warm and the grey sky was reflected in eyes as deep as the lake. There were long rides on winding roads with lots of trees and sometimes rain and sometimes bright sunshine. There was a gardener whistling through a hilly park, pretending not to notice. There were gales of the most joyful laughter and I couldn't tell which way was up and which way was down.

Scene by scene and frame by frame it went by in a disjointed blur. It had bad moments too, that seemed like the whole dream would become a nightmare, but they blended into the mix and it was unpredictable, like flying all over the world and never knowing what you're going to see next. There were moments of ecstasy and moments of despair and moments of every emotion in between. It was more colorful than life could possibly be, more intense and more alive. It seemed real--I can still feel the sensations on my skin; see the vibrant settings; hear the sounds; I can taste it and smell it.

And then came morning and I was reluctantly pulled from the dream. And realized that life will never be as incredible. It seems like being dead after the intensity. And so I want to go back to sleep forever and be in the dream again; so I can feel like I'm living.