Do people breathe differently
When they are running in their dreams?
I had a dog that would run in his sleep,
His feet would quiver as he chased chipmunks up trees made of canine fantasy.
Eyes moving
Scanning the inside of his lids.
I wish there was a dreaming diet
Where I could run marathons while unconscious,
And in the morning, wake sweaty, slimmer, and without soreness …
I would marathon every night.
Happy to pound up and down the narrow streets of Capri’s limestone vistas;
Winding under the tight leafed trees
The sound of peacocks calling
Blue Mediterranean in the distance
Yellow sun tilting toward the western horizon,
Boats coming in from an afternoon’s fishing.
The Le Terrazze perched above that emerald and blue
White tablecloths lit by candles calmly flicker in the ancient shoreward breeze.
White plate with Ravoli Caprese,
The raviolis handmade perfection
Filled with parmigiano and aged caciotta cheese and marjoram
Then tossed with a lightly fresh tomato sauce.
Garnished with a few fragrant basil leaves
White and red and green and scent.
And of course there must be wine
Something rustic and red to reflect the sky as the sun demurely departs.
And bread,
Crusty bread with olive oil and some balsamic.
Come along if you like
But wear something nice, I think they have an evening dress code.
Marc Janssen has been writing poems since around 1980. Some people would say that was a long time but not a dinosaur. Early decrepitude has not slowed him down much; his verse can be found scattered around the world in places like Pinyon, Slant, Cirque Journal, Off the Coast, and Poetry Salzburg; also in his book November Reconsidered. Janssen coordinates the Salem Poetry Project, a weekly reading; the occasionally occurring Salem Poetry Festival; and was a nominee for Oregon Poet Laureate. For more information, visit marcjanssenpoet.com.
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Heavy Feather Review 