Nightmare I

The ocean takes away pieces of my soul,
I cannot leave, I am the shore.
I wake from nightmares of blinding lights
to your clear voice, whispering,
“Hush! Come here,
Hush! Its okay, come”, and you hang up
I pry my eyes open
I want to see your face, you’re here
before I fall
into a dazzling wakefulness again
into familiar streets, deserted
in a town I think I know
a lone bull in stark sunlight
chases memories to trample
I hide in empty houses
my father waits;
he brought me water
he knows I return thirsty,
with an empty water-bottle;
at a little shop outside the city gates
Isn’t this the ancient mariner‘s curse?
You’re an ocean
And I’ve no water to drink.