Could we but give us wholly to the dreams, and get into their world that to the sense is shadows, and not linger wretchedly among insubstantial things...
—William Butler Yeats
If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.
—John Stuart Mill
Dream Of Execution
I saw in a dream...
That was me, standing there in front of the firing squad,
my hands tied behind me, an unlit cigarette dangling from my lips,
reliving the story of a life which truly I did not know I had lived.
Was I the General who led the people's revolt on this island
so small, it does not appear on a map of the world?
Pondering the possible reasons for being here in this dream
hoping only that whatever my crime, I lived up to my expectations.
I could feel the light breeze cooling the sweat under my silk shirt,
still heavy with the perfume of the woman who betrayed me that night.
They could not miss me, I thought, from only twenty feet away,
yet the wall behind me was riddled with holes from stray bullets.
Maybe guilt or a grain of sand blurred the sight of some executioners.
I watch the men get "ready" and shoulder their rifles to take "aim."
I take one last drag of the still unlit cigarette and prepare myself to die.
Suddenly, I awake from this dream when I hear the word "fire."
Photo Credit: A Man With A Vision...