my bed

my bed is a great white raft afloat
in the deep sea, I have always imagined it so.
monsters once lived under the raft.
I had to leap from the threshold of my room
onto the bed to be safe from their desire.

sometimes I looked over the side of the raft, or
peered underneath to see the creatures terrible
and beautiful aching to nibble at my toes, or more

sometimes I want to invite some others onto the raft
ask them to join me on this rough frolic
through wave and tumble

sometimes I fall asleep, like the child in the old lullaby
and I am awakened by the touch of a lover or a dancer
in my dreams

I do not sleep well when I dance in my sleep
The touch of the sheets awakens me, I shiver,
try to find peace, release the touch
and find my own skin again