Joshua Keiter

Another night of 
nondescript dreams
follows me through
the day as if every 
unplanned moment 
were half a déjà vu 
away in disguise 
maybe I didn’t sleep 
so good maybe I 
slept too well maybe 
my body doesn’t like 
to be interrupted 
by consciousness
what is the world
other than adrift 
in a sea of thoughts 
it tries to recollect 
unsuccessfully 
the next day

Pretty easy 
to see the world 
as one big threat 

when all you have 
to defend yourself 
is “self defense”

All the music
you thought 
existed only 
in your head 
implanted at
an earlier age
is still out there 
to be discovered 
brave new worlds
some of them not 
even sung yet

A night without sleep 
might last all day long

if you’re not careful
when will you wake up 

maybe you’re falling
but that’s not the dream 

you can’t remember 
anything always

not some of the time 
hours bend forward 

lurch into the past
no escape is home

So much still
taking place
on screens 

difference being
we have to see 
through to know 

there is joy 
among the sorrow
without us 

we have been
waiting for 
the end of looking 

at opaque windows
hoping to find
light in the middle

Disorientation
was it all a dream 

I know it wasn’t real
that’s why these lines 

are still on my face 
evidence of light 

touching like a ghost 
materializing and just 

staying in places
thank you places

All the time machines 
in my head 
are waving 
simultaneously 

A full circle is 
always complete

Déjà vu is
sometimes the result
of seeing things different