Dream Within a Dream

A chariot awaited
the girl with curly hair.
She placed her golden self upon the seat.
The world flashed-
color-
gray-
color-
until the third sky broke.

Distant laughter and forgotten happiness
plunged through the sunlight into her
memory.
She remembered,
she remembered!
There was a family,
not perfect, but potentially.
She remembered,
she remembered!
It was her fault they broke.

The break is too complete to heal-


And then I woke up.

I woke up crying and I told you about my nightmare disguised as a wonderland and your sad eyes made me believe you understood because that's what best friends do.

But it was a dream
within a dream,
because I woke up-
for real-
alone.