Nightmares

By Katie Henry

Come the slide of the curtain

the cocoon of duvet 

last twist of the mobile burns out 

when pillows meet heads

Hypnos spins his threads 

organs commencing night shifts,

we slide out of daylight’s wings

one foot through the window

claws rolled up our sleeves

foresights dripping between our teeth

and pockets of reels fit for the throat

whatever hand that beckons you, like

What will it be?

What shall we make her see?

Make her thrash through the mattress

Then wake with a scream

The foot on her windpipe 

Mutiny through the ribs

Full speed on the pedal

Headfirst from the bridge

Because I know your fears

Your ballrooms and alleyways 

The skulls that you’ve haunted

With reapers in doorways

The teeth at your fingers

Your morbid obsessions

Mahogany fractures

And stolen possessions

And I know your secrets

The jinxes you’ve conjured

Seven sins taking centre  

With seductive discord

The walls you have walked through

Your forensic scrapbook 

The bed of the swamp

Under oceans of fishhooks 

We cackle our wisecracks

Convulsion filled flutes

Iron bars of your body 

Hold no escape route 

Skin crawling you’re craving

For the windows to shine

While darkness is dancing 

Your senses are mine

My name is Katie Henry, I'm a 24-year-old writer based in London. I’ve been writing poetry since I was young and have done it in educational and personal settings. My love of writing has ebbed and flowed through my life but in lockdown it came as a lifeline to me, and I learned to use poetry to celebrate and rediscover life as well as to escape it when things get hard. Few things give me as much joy as creating pieces of writing and I hope to continue it wherever life might take me.

Twitter: @henryfamilypc

Instagram: katiehenry2