Poetry and Fiction - Just "One Word" Away (Awake)

http://spillwords.com/author/phyllispcolucci/      

https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-P.-Colucci/e/B00VMU8B44

(Photo from Pinterest)

 

 "Awake"

People and Places I never knew
Conversations with strangers
     I was forced to embrace
Coffees and Teas from faraway lands
Wines that warmed my soul
     and calmed my hands
Foods from all cultures
Which spoke to my palate
Interesting to say the least…

Tales of woe that pained my ears
Tales so harsh my heart cried
Unimaginable words I was forced to listen to
I had no control! I thought I had died…
I was banished away
   to worlds not of my choosing
     sometimes winning; sometimes losing
Yes - I laughed, I cried
I frowned, I sighed
I told the truth; I sometimes lied
I giggled when appropriate
If I had something to hide

I even hugged a child or two
I may have fallen in Love as well
With this “Perfect Man” who kissed my hand
I was lost, yet found, in this new land
I lived with a family where I did not belong
Eager to share my story in a song
I had sweet children I never knew…
Sons and Daughters who needed me
And somehow I needed them very much too
It was no longer just “I”;
It was “Us” through and through

I sang lullabies to precious infants
    cradled in my arms
As I sat in a wooden rocking chair
    in a strange room; in a strange house
        sheltering them from harm
Yet, it became my life
I had no other choice
It was a new me, a different me
Perhaps, with a different voice

I had a lucrative career
I certainly was not prepared for
And I was making money…lots and lots of money
Drank black coffee on my breaks
     and herbal teas with honey
I went to work in tailored skirts
     and designer dresses all new to me
Wore stiletto heels that hurt my feet
Still strutted proudly, beautifully and free
 
My boss was kind and smoked expensive cigars
And I traveled on planes, I always feared;
For business meetings, local and abroad,
For a boss who was quite revered
I had a whole new life that wasn’t me
But it sure felt wonderful to be “me”
…and it continued on every day…
It was wonderful. What can I say?

Oh my God…
More People and Places I never knew
Conversations with strangers
   I was forced to embrace
But who was I?
Where was I?
What was I doing in places like this?
Eating fine foods, drinking fine wines
Coffees…Teas
Total bliss!

How did I get here?
With these strange families?
With these children of mine?
With precious babies smiling up at me?
This “Perfect Man”
I had new eyes to see
So magical a place to be!
An incredible job
A kind boss who smoked expensive cigars
And money…lots of money
Journeys on airplanes… Fancy clothes
Business meetings abroad…Faraway places

Oh no! What is happening?
I’m “Awake”…It was all just a dream
A perfect dream
Now that it’s gone, I miss it all
I never had a chance to say goodbye
Will they miss me, as much as I miss them?
So much was left unfinished, so much left unsaid
Perhaps I can visit in my next dream
Will they remember me?
I’m “Awake” now, and I’ll never know

…Time to get the kids ready for school
Put fresh coffee up for my “Perfect Man”
Then head out to my job in the Big City
   With my kind boss who smokes expensive cigars
    While I answer his phones,
     Transcribe his work reports
       Create his excel sheets
         and keep his calendar in tact
   As I make great money…that is a fact!

My “Perfect Man” and I are saving up
  for a bigger house for our growing brood
There is that luxury dream car, we admired from afar
  and our business plans to open up a bar
It's all falling into place
Life is so sweet, isn’t it?

Hmmmm ... hope I dream “that” dream tonight
So I can reconnect with my dear friends
The people and places I never knew
The Little Strangers I have come to adore
The magic that rocked me to the core
I really need to tell them why I left
I really need to tell them about my life
Why I abruptly had to go
     to “Awake” in my own world
…They may not be able to join me here
…They may never understand
But I will do my very best to visit them
   ...Dream by Dream...
       In that lovely, faraway land