In Dreams We Wake

stranger at the door




peering through the screen door
a face gathered my image for the taking
and whispered to me, "come out to play."


red rusted mesh bestowed color to darkness
lit by a winking eye flashing white on night.


"do I know you?" I questioned. "your voice
is strange to me." my jolted finger touched
the latch.


"all too well," was the fizzled reply.  "flip 
the latch and step into your nighttide." 


I slipped sideways through a timid portal. 
"what shall we play?" I asked.  "where did
you go?"  no one answered.  no one was there.                                                      
in breathy silence I spun back and peered 
through the screen.  weighing the image behind
red rusted mesh, I gathered my face for the taking. 


from kindled lips I whispered, 
"come out to play." 



Poem © 2011 by R. Burnett Baker 
Acrylic on canvas, 16"x 20", by R. Baker, 1982.