As Dreams are Known To Do

To think of the dreams
that are missed to the waking mind
(each night, there might be at least a few)
without considering that each
might not be mine (or yours) alone,
but shared with other present spirits,
had not crossed my mind but once (too long ago),
with a story so vivid, I refused to think
my sleeping mind could not take it up again
(but it refused).
That day, I had to ask my friends
what they had dreamt the night before.
Disappointed, I let the whole thing go
(until tonight).

After the altar was taken down
and only a few ashes remained to be swept,
the Maskmaker told me otherwise
of a morning twelve years back,
when two friends apart
had shared a single dream
of a ride in a red convertible
(on the edge of town)
and other things that don’t make sense
(as dreams are known to do).