A Frightening Dream

A huge python crawls in dream again Massive shadowy figure of long grey serpent Moves with tremendous force in cold obscurity From mythological memory I recall of Vasuki* Shiva's faithful companion, A garland of grace and beauty Wrapped around his blue neck so gingerly. Tonight he wasn't there As an accomplice of ocean churning For seekers of immortality Tonight he was an ordained employee of death In cold blooded merciless cruelty destroying, Devouring all what was built with love and care. Walls and bricks fall all around Dust and smoke blind the vision Choking me out of my breath I stood there in darkness shaking and trembling Oh! How I wished to save just a little nook. A silent prayer, a wishful thinking Echoed in fearful heart Hope of a tiny dwelling to be spared Amid the fallen debris of rocks and iron His coils and fang will have mercy For a little room where the most delicate The most helpless of all A little innocent life lies Blissfully unaware of lurking danger. Just then I break away from sleep All apprehension of that fateful event stops A sense of relief takes over Akin to when an earthquake shakes every thing But in a next moment of afferent sensation When the earth becomes still One feels himself alive again. Fear grips my heart A wakeful consciousness Still disoriented Entwined with truth and illusion Haunted by the vivid memory Of a terrifying, wretched moment Struggles to regain and recompose. For now all is calm in dark night In quiet submission whatever was spared Stirs back to life again Cobra wraps in his coils whoever Or what so ever it wishes to wring And leaves the rest unscathed.