The nightmares don’t come often
They come in different forms
But the themes remain the same
I’m stuck or trapped or paralyzed
Some creature or other coming towards me
The fear is having no escape
I feel this way when I’m awake
Unable to escape bills and responsibilities
And escape from all the people
This is only an extension of my fears
From childhood trauma
Unable to escape the violence
Those memories are locked away
I don’t know how to release them
I can’t cope or heal until I do
Perhaps that’s why simple life tasks
Can be more difficult than they should
That’s why I want to escape everything
The creatures that come for me
From which I can’t escape in my dreams
It’s always something different
A ghost or a beast or demon
Who or what do they represent
Do they represent more than one thing
I don’t have the tools or skills
To fight these mental battles
I try to face my everyday problems
One at a time but more get added to the list
How do I face my inner demons
When everyday tasks leave me paralyzed
I must remember the dreams when I can
Sometimes I don’t dream
If I can see them on paper
Maybe I’ll find other themes
Maybe I’ll discover what I’m escaping from
Only then can I face the daily challenges
From the poetry collection Cats, Coffee, Catharsis.
James Pack 