The Wake World

(a tale for babes and sucklings)

THE ARGUMENT

I. RITUAL PROCESSION

what’s this?

a secretive somniloquy?

a half-remembered hush?

(let’s crawl inside and disclose it.)

II. PRELUDIUM IN (THROUGH) THE THEATRE

gray, viscous.

plastic prattle

with dead sounds.

something about

something past.

until

III. THE BEGINNING

sleepy Lola!

breathe the wet perfumes!

drink the crimson skies!

the wake-up person is coming!

IV. THE PALACE

i. rust, hollow, all sleep. don’t stay here, silly!

ii. the lady with the silver hair

iii. the feast (most people stay here forever)

iv. sleepy, fuzzy, green. zzz…

V. TREASURE HOUSE OF GOLD

this part is really secret so I can’t tell you about what we did.

and I even had to make a promise that I would never,

ever betray my wake-up person.

love,

Lola

VI. MISTRESS OF IT ALL

i. underneath orange is red. (and most people stay here all their lives)

ii. underneath green is blue. and blue is the sleepiest color.

Lola! wake up! there’s mischief about!

VII. OUT OF DOORS

in the end

there is no more roof.

but if you squint

you can find me

on the other side.

love,

the wake-up person

p.s. I love you