Daybreak

The haze of dawn

slow, golden fire

and the sea of lily pads

glistens

The birds that hunt

things just below the surface

move swiftly

to capture metallic prey

Tattered remnants of night,

like wisps of dark cloud,

are swallowed by the brightness

of consuming reality

And the newly awakened plants

turn freshest tender growth

like a parent lifting its child

up toward the sun

Half the world still silhouetted

the other half wet blues and greens

This is the world that we all must live in,

seeking balance with each other

and with every living thing

Soft, damp soil

is clingy on the trails

my bare feet follow

Newly awakened senses

revel in the joys of light

I have left the comforting womb of dream-time

to focus on reality and daily survival

Although in the grand scheme of things,

perhaps it is that other, stranger world

I need to focus more upon

For, is my day not all for preparation

for the oncoming night?

To satiate and learn and gather

understanding for another day

Tomorrow accessed via the Gates of Morpheus

who assesses all you've done along your journey

and prepares you for the path that still lies ahead

There is nourishment

and there is interaction

And the world's but a giant classroom—

or a game

reset each time I leave behind the realm of surreal restfulness

and see the same old things

anew.