But for this pillow, I might have no dreams--
I seek in vain for dream within its down
And when a nightmare rages in my crown
The pillow's far away, or so it seems.
It's when my heart dissolves in perfect bliss
The pillow, all too near, disturbs my joy
And inner state of rapture must alloy
As senses tug upon my consciousness.
In light of day, the dream fades like a ghost
But in the dream's pale light the world's forgot
So, which rich forms are real and which are not?
I'm free to choose the one I fancy most.
The world is hard, the pillow's stuff is soft
One holds my frame, one keeps my soul aloft.
JJM, after Yuan Hong-Dao (1568-1610)
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