Tyger! Tyger! burning brightIn the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
William Blake's poem has been quoted ad nauseum, especially this first stanza. What else could have come to my mind when I got up this morning having spent the night, early and late, dreaming of wild animals? They were African animals and I know tigers are not African but still... In the wee hours I awoke having had my head in the mouth of a leopard which sat on my back, it's clawed forelegs clasping my shoulders. Other people were nearby and I knew they would save me, I had a contained fear and somehow knew something was preventing the leopard [whose name was Ava -- don't ask how I knew, such is the logic of dreams] from piercing my skull. I awoke shortly after I heard a loud report of a gun which I knew killed Ava. I went peacefully back to sleep only to awake about 5:00 having dreamed of being in a lawn of a suburban house which was filled with wild African animals including a gorilla that I knew to be dangerous. There were others around also. I and one other person dashed to a house across the street from which we watched the animals wandering about. These are bare bones descriptions of both dreams. My dreams are usually full of visual details and these were. I had dreamed the latter scene recently - often dreams are such that I know they're recurrences.
I don't usually relate my dreams and I'm not going to try to analyze this [in a blog, although I will in my head]. The wonderful thing is that they were not terrifying, not nightmares. I knew even at the end of the leopard dream I would be taken to a hospital and cared for. Whence this equanimity? I'll think on it. Maybe write a poem tonight.
6 comments:
How much fun it is to remember a dream, provided it doesn't scare the bejeezes out of you. I got into dream analysis a few years back and then abandoed it when some scietists declared they mean nothing. I don't know how he knew that. Maybe I will look at my dreams again some day. Dianne
Tell me about that photo June!, in my letter.
To both Dian[n]es - I believe dreams have meaning but it's very individual. Letter's on the way, Dy5 so I'll tell you, this was at a place that rescues orphaned animals [in Zimbabawe] to raise money they keep a family of somewhat tame lions and offer "walk with lions" tours to people for a price that helps them continue their work. This lion is only yawning; he was a sweetie, his mate was being cantankerous and was lurking in the grass, the two cubs were darling but couldn't be petted.
June -- Who is the woman in the photo? Do you keep a dream journal? -- barbara
Barbara, that's me, somewhat unkempt on the last day of a two week safari.
I used to keep a sporadic dream diary but have let it lapse for probably ten years now.
An absolutely GRRRREAT photo.
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