Light, fluffy, marshmallow dreams,

Floating on top of a blue background,

A mixture of laughter, songs and sunshine.

 

Intense, passion-filled rainbow dreams,

Hopes hidden in the deep recesses of the heart,

Softly whispered in silent wishful prayers.

 

Sugar coated dreams that seem perfect,

The answer to all sorts of prayers,

With a seductive shell, concealing a torment of tears.

 

Forgotten and abandoned dreams,

Drifting aimlessly along,

Hoping someone will claim them.

 

Bumper car dreams, determined to win,

Racing blindly through busy intersections,

Filled with false pride, intent on being first.

 

Heavy dreams, overflowing with desperation,

Sinking from the weight of worry,

Falling into the path of an oncoming freight train.

 

Shattered dreams with shards slicing the heart,

Bringing storm clouds and drenching sorrow,

Thundering dreams into nightmares.

 

As the gusting winds of depression howl,

The balloon string holding the dreams snaps,

Hurling them into the eye of the storm.

 

Doubt and panic scatter dreams in all directions,

Crashing into each other in the darkness of despair,

Broken hearts raining down angry, flaming arrows.

 

In the confusion, the evil one reaches out,

Pretending to give comfort and consolation,

Seducing dreams with his spinning roulette wheel.

 

Flying on the wings of God's grace,

Angels protect the small and the sacred,

Huddling together in circles of prayer.

 

Flickering lightning bolts of clarity,

Pierce the steel walls of self-pity,

Bringing a reminder of God's unconditional love.

 

The sun gently streams in,

Pushing the storm clouds aside,

The dreams rise up from the ashes.

 

Transformed by their struggles,

Glowing with an inner radiance,

Becoming the dreams they were meant to be.

 

Wakened by the sound of a clamoring bell,

Throwing back the sheets of the dark storm,

We rise, ready to follow where our dreams take us.

            Jacqueline Newport