An eager dream plods room to room
aware it's well past midnight now
and cautious
not to fall asleep
because it knows
it may not wake
but slip instead
like other dreams
back to that blurred oblivion
where vague and fading memories
dissolve in misty morning light.

The dream brews coffee,
reads the paper,
fights off yawning,
grabs a snack,
watches reruns for a while,
returns to wake you - cannot wait:

it shakes you with a sudden shove,
advising you, the dreamer, too,
might vanish here as easily
if slumber lures you to forget
the many things you must do yet.