Dream

(I found this hiding on the web -- something I wrote
maybe 30--40 years ago...and I thought, how marvelous!
Too good not to share with Soup.)

I thought to tell her a bedtime story—
A father’s duty
A parent’s joy;
And then I thought—better to seem,
I would teach her
How to dream:

I had thought to share
A travel-line story,
A printed journey
With a colorful page;
And then I thought
No greater pack
Then that of courage:
I would teach her
How to dream:

Beyond the travel-line of book,
There’s a wider text inside
Just have a look—
You are the author,
The fool or the sage
Let imagination
Breathe life into your page;
Give it lungs, ears,
Earth, ocean and sky—
Give your heart and soul wings,
Turn your mind loose,
Let it all fly:

Close your eyes—
Enter the mist:
Cross the sleepy sands
To whatever dark or bright,
All shores are your lands;
You are the author,
The artist,
The captain,
The crew, sail into the storm
Or upon the calmest blue;
Give your cast boots,
Buccaneer swords—
Make them simple pirates
Or jeweled ladies and lords;
Sea-serpents, mermaids,
A black cat
Hoisting a sail—
The ships, the sea,
The land the sky
Color and sounds
Your pleasure
For your tale;
Astronauts
Aliens—all tentacles and brains,
Yellow brick roads, flying carpets,
Strange cities
Or talking country lanes—
Yours to dream
Acceptable lies,
All truth first entered
Through dreamer’s eyes;

If the vision too scary
Make of them angels
Or fluttery, flitting good fairies;
Whether benevolent queen
Or bad witch,
When it’s your dream
Retain or switch—
Sadness can be brought
Abruptly to an end—
Good go on forever,
Flowing with you
Around every dreamed-bend:
Ice-cream never need melt, or run
Till all the sweetness
And coolness done—
Create your songbirds
High and free—
In your worlds
Need never cages be—
Within each of us
A jungle and clearing
Divine—make of yours
All wonder
As have been mine;

Now let’s tuck you in…

Bon voyage my child;

Never fear your wild….

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Anil Deo

Date: 5/15/2022 3:00:00 AM

adorable. Best advice and gifts to a child. shalom, shalom OUR Father DeMino under Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit Three. amen

Joe Dimino
Date: 5/15/2022 12:24:00 PM

Hi Anil; thank you. So long ago, I don't even remember writing it. Found the work on the web and thought: that wasn't too shabby. Really cute in a way. Once published on the web, nothing is lost entirely.

Vickey Rhymer

Date: 5/14/2022 11:48:00 PM

Kool.Fortunate child to have a Dad that rad.

Joe Dimino
Date: 5/15/2022 12:28:00 PM

I had my moments, but I really was not a good dad, never there for them when they needed me. Did not set a good example sadly. Wrote better poetry than I lived. I have deep guilt and regret.... -- Hindsight is 20/20.