bruises

i woke last night from a nightmare, mouth stuck open somewhere between gasp and sob. [she] was in the grips of the Rage and the police were coming. i was in my childhood home, up a dirt road, overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains in late summer. i did not know if the door would hold (but it did) and by the time the officers arrived [she] was catatonic on a mattress in the floor, still not knowing it was over.

i muttered an explanation across the bed and fell back asleep.

i dreamed a penitent dream of the woman i left for [her]. i was a boarder in her mother's house though her mother was (and is) dead. the occupant of the next room told me the woman i left for [her] still owned the house, and i asked if he could pass along a message.
he told me he would.

i woke hopeful.