Treasure Chest Of Dreams

Treasure Chest Of Dreams
© Surazeus
2026 01 25

After I ransack treasure chest of dreams, 
hidden by Pandora beneath her bed, 
I might find ghosts of noble characters, 
long worshiped as gods by long-vanished states, 
struggling to express their stale points of view, 
so I set their skulls on book shelves to sing. 

Yet after I let all those ghosts escape 
to haunt snow-frosted homes with Christmas trees, 
I find Pandora by the kitchen sink 
peeling potatoes, and hard-boiling eggs, 
to cook delicious meal that warms my heart, 
grateful I freed her from bitter regret. 

After eating chicken and gravy dish, 
that warms my heart with dreams of noble deeds, 
I wander woods along the sparkling stream 
where daisies bloom, and lithe goldfinches tweet, 
as I follow haunting song of desire 
which Pandora sings with uncanny joy. 

Wearing long white gown with thick leather belt, 
and coronet of flowers in her hair, 
Pandora kneels in sunlit meadow grove 
with hands caressing cheeks of spotted fawn 
that gazes up at her with moon-black eyes 
while she whispers and kisses his forehead. 

Climbing ancient apple tree on high hill 
where sharp-eyed hawk watches me with calm grace, 
I reach my hand to pluck ripe fruit of love 
but Nirah, serpent with star-flashing eyes, 
hisses at me with aggressive umbrage, 
so I breathe ethereal hope of respect. 

"Before you take sacred apple of truth," 
lithe Nirah hisses with celestial voice, 
"you must answer this riddle with brave poise 
by telling me secret name of the house 
where you enter blind, but exit with sight 
that lets you see inner essence of being." 

Entranced by reverie of my childhood, 
when I sat all day at the classroom desk 
learning to write letters that signify 
sounds depicting objects, actions, and states, 
I reply, "the house where I learned dream-sight 
is called the school where humans see the truth." 

Sitting with Pandora by the oak tree 
among daisies along the river shore, 
I give her basket of apples with love, 
so princess of the city-haunting ghost 
kisses my lips with passionate respect, 
then laughs as we eat and share tales of life.