The Sleep in the Foreign Grass
The Sleep in the Foreign Grass
by mistake I lay down in grass that was dreaming beneath the moon
the field was shedding from its own body a smoke of ancient metals
far off, trees were breaking apart like bones made of crystal
a silent man stepped out of the fog and made strange signs at me
"I am your lost guide — come lie down inside my dog"
I woke and slept again in a cold light the color of mercury
far off a steamship passed like a shadow of molten silver
it was the hour that whispered for me to lose myself past cure
my lashes carried the dew like small seeds of jade
and somewhere a voice went hobbling, hobbling, crying I am your guide
he led us through the forest while the beasts howled in terror
springs poured out of everyone and the forest grew out of dreams
they slept on flour and dreamed of ancient sands full of sphinxes
someone whispered that outside, everyone swarms like dying embers
sit down quietly on the bank, like ants made of gold
a woman had climbed into a tree, listening to the depths
she wanted to swarm in the rustling of leaves wet with dew
and the sky above was nothing but a crystal stillness
the others stayed silent in their field, lost like shadows
I watched like a cyclops over their border, silent and bare
and I walked the field, tired, and lay down beneath the grass
I lay there with a horizon over my eyes like a mask of silver
the others slept deep inside their dogs, in fur made of smoke
they stayed in their depths and listened to the earth's roar
and I dissolved into sleep like a crystal lost among the stars
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